Fathers Day is a couple of weeks away and this year I am determined to get it right.

I have a tendency to get a little self righteous at Fathers Day as my Mothers Days in the past have been cause for great disappointment. We are still recovering from the great polar fleece jacket and scarf gift disaster after my third child was born. I lasted the morning before the tantrum hit. I had not long given birth, drug free I might add and felt that in itself deserved recognition beyond polar fleece.

The following year was equally glum but I then decided that Fathers Day would be equally so. Childish, yes but also satisfying as it fell on his birthday too. Luckily this year the Mothers Day stars aligned perfectly and we had the best day trying to catch yabbies beside the Lachlan river. So this year I am going to honour father's day with an appropriate gift and undivided attention.

Now comes the problem. What do you buy a man? Surely we can do better than socks, undies, DVD's and instant scratchies. Having said this you haven't met my husband. By far the worlds most difficult man to buy for. Here is a short history of the very thoughtful gifts I have given him that have failed to hit the mark:

Custom made leather stock whip (he is a livestock contractor nothing kinky to see here) - Not long enough.

Beautifully engraved knife - broke the tip off it using it as a screw driver within 24hours of receiving it.

Custom made oilskin and Ongaparinga wool lined dog coats for his Stud Kelpies with matching leather collars all made by our local Saddler Lyndsay Miller perfectly - liked them but weeks later I found them all in the dirt.

I ordered a Stetson hat from America then found a vintage Stetson hat box on ebay to go with it to make the ultimate statement. It was slightly snug so he set out to steam it himself. It now belongs to my son after shrinking further, hmmm.

A settlers verandah chair, again made to order. It fell apart as soon as he sat in it.

I took photos of his main Kelpies and took them to an artist to have portraits done. Didn't quite capture the likeness apparently. They now take pride of place in a dark cupboard somewhere.

I should have known. Before I even met him I was working in a clothes shop and his boss came in to buy a present for him. She said at the time, "He will no doubt return this". I said what an ungrateful sod he must be (famous last words) and sure enough in he came with the perfectly good rugby jumper that wasn't quite right for some unexplained reason.

So this year I have bought him a beautiful new briefcase/satchel. It is big, heavy and looks very manly. Maybe his receipts will find their way out of the ute and into the office for a change. This is my last stand, if I fail again he will be sent to the world of socks, undies and instant scratchies and my inner gift diva will have to be ok with that.

As far as gifts for more appreciative dads go, we have a few options here at Bendy Street.

Traditional knife sharpening stone suitable for knives, chisels, gouges, leather knives and other thin blades and cutleries used in woodworking,agriculture,gardening,stock raising and forestry.

Portable BBQ bucket by Sophie Conran for Burgon and Ball. This kit includes a portable BBQ, 0.5kg bag of charcoal, box of matches, soft-grip handled all purpose tongs and recipe booklet. Why not visit your local butcher and get him to cut you an obscenely big piece of prime steak to add to the gift and leave him to it in the back yard, bliss allround.

"Wine Journal" a companion for wine lovers by Brian St Pierre. The wine loving Dad can keep track of all his favourite tipples in this beautiful journal. We also have the authentic Laguiole waiters friend to start the wine journey. We have some great varieties made and grown here in Canowindra which would make a great partner for this gift.

The Dad who likes to cook is well looked after. We have pasta makers, potato ricers, kitchen gadgets and cookbooks and cupcakes on Fridays so he can eat while he cooks.

So I wish you luck in finding that great "Dad/Man" present. I will be spending Fathers Day either basking in the glory of finally getting it right or throwing my hands in the air and heading to the newsagents for a scratchie.

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads, we love you really.

Kate

Bendy Street has been a hive of activity lately. We have created a TV commercial, a Facebook page (look for Bendy Street Emporium and please oh please like us), held a coffee masterclass, introduced Cupcake Fridays, tweeted and networked and held an end of financial year sale and stocktake.

In amongst all of this I have been looking for new items to add to the already bulging shelves. I found this beautifully shiny bright red resin apple. It arrived in one piece last week and I instantly fell in love. It was put in the window to show off to the world my complete contempt for practicality when it comes to decorating the home.

I live with four others. One is six foot two, more often than not covered in dirt and not generally affected by colour, shape or mood. Rather more affected by stock numbers, horsepower and per acre yield. The other three range in size from small but powerfull with a crayon, followed by one who insists that everything must be purple finishing with awkward, messy pre-teen strange odour horder of all things small and painfull to step on. Not one of them would appreciate the value of a perfectly shiny red apple. Nor would I place it in their somewhat destructive path.

Having said that, I have planned in my head a small studio tucked away in our olive grove. It will have solar panels, a big north facing window, a water tank, small garden, pot belly stove, lanterns, polished concrete floor with rugs and salvaged furniture. My cat will lie happily in the sun while I play with the light and my camera capturing the fine art shots I plan in my head while cleaning up after the famous four. In this studio will be a home for a red apple.

So even though the idea of a bright red resin apple may seem ridiculous at the time there is always a place for art and whimsy in the home it is just about finding a place for it.

At Bendy Street at the moment you will find said red apple, paintings by local artists, tools for your garden (another place for beautiful things), cupcakes that look too good to eat, bags of freshly ground coffee, kids shoes by Mooky, inspiring books and new products arriving all the time.

Looking forward to seeing you soon and showing you the beautiful shiny red apple.

I was hanging out the washing on Saturday...Sunday...Monday etc and muttering to myself, "I bet Kate Middleton won't have to do this ever again", then mutterings again when I was mowing the lawn, cleaning the bench, re-organising the pantry that had just been mouse, moth and hungry pre-teen proofed and picking up an endless stream of discarded clothing. I could feel the domestic bitterness and resentment rising in me to the levels of a mother of all housework tantrums.

Luckily, a delivery arrived for the store. A box full of hand made ostrich feather dusters from Germany. How on earth would that make me happy? Because, although I am not a princess (at least not in the Royal sense of the word), I can splash out on a few tools and products in store to make my chores at least slightly more enjoyable and regal.

For the endless supply of washing that seems to reproduce with the same enthusiasm as our current mouse plague, I have the following products:

French Linen Water, simply spray these delicately scented waters on your washing as you iron. The smell will at least trick your senses into believing you are in a lavender field in Provence. If that doesn't work watch a great movie set in Provence while you iron.

French washing detergent and fabric softener. I use these on my sheets and linen. Falling asleep on a pillowcase scented with orange blossom is a sweet reward for the not so romantic chore putting the washing on the line.

For getting rid of dust:

As mentioned before, beautifully handcrafted ostrich feather dusters on extra long wooden handles. I had to snaffle one for myself as over the years I have developed a severe allergy to dusting, not dust, dusting and this seems to have helped. If feathers are not your thing we also have super soft goats hair dusters in two colours. They look and feel too good to use but are so gentle on all surfaces and are easily cleaned naturally by putting them in a bag of oatmeal, give it a good shake then another shake outside to dislodge the oatmeal and they are good as new.

For the dishes:

This product has caused a bit of a stir. The lovely husbands that sometimes venture in often suffer sharp inhalations of breath when they see the price of our Durance essential oil washing up detergent. Granted, it does not stack up against Palmolive or other supermarket brands pricewise but this is how I see it. Picture this scene (I am not bitter at all), It is about 7.30pm, you have been busy all day and still managed to pull off a nutritious, tasty meal any masterchef would be proud of. All family members have been silent at the table in deep appreciation of your culinary talents. They all rise as one and make their way to the kitchen, you watch in a self satisfied glow loving your brood and thinking of the feet in the upright position on the couch and the cup of tea beside you as you recline while they tend to the dishes. However, this does not happen. Instead there is a symphony of clattering dishes all stacked on top of eachother, cutlery included so it becomes a precarious tower of muck. They all make a dash for the couch and remote and you are left with yet another pile of dishes. My remedy for this age old affliction is to go out and buy the beautiful french essential oil dishwashing detergent quietly. Fill the sink and squeeze as much as you like into the hot water and secretely smile to yourself next time you bring your husband into the store and he says..."who would pay that for dishwashing liquid?!" As the essential oils rise up and bathe you in their soothing aroma at least a small part of your evening routine is an indulgent experience.

Now that I have done a bit of dusting with my handmade german duster, washed the clothes with french washing liquid and done the dishes with detergent infused with essential oils I feel a bit closer to the Duchess of Cambridge if in name only.

To all the mothers, happy Mothers Day. We will be open on Mothers Day and would love to see you all. Enjoy breakfast in bed then make a hasty escape to Canowindra for some retail therapy and spoiling - you deserve it!

All the best Kate

Yes, we do have a lot of cushions at Bendy Street. But they are hard to resist when for a fraction of the cost for a new lounge you can completely transform your living area.

My latest purchase is this wonderful cushion "Professor Lion". He has come to me all the way from San Francisco and is the new love of my life. Maybe because I am a Leo that he appeals or just that there is a touch of the fanciful about him that makes me smile. Either way he is sitting on a chair that I bought at a clearing sale ages ago that is awaiting some TLC. He is making it easier to save my pennies for the upholstery work that is needed.

Our other cushions in store come from all over. Pony Rider and Memi Designs are proudly Australian made and created while the Rosenbergcph range hails from Denmark and works beautifully from the selection provided by Ferm Living. The patterns range from barcodes, world maps, bluebirds, ribbons and geometric repeats. All of which work together. At the other end of the spectrum, my mother introduced me to the amazingly detailed work of Lily Van Heeckeren , pure linens and silks reclaimed from saris and crafted into amazing magnolia and camelia forms in a neutral soothing palette.

So for the moment we are fully stocked with cushions, but, that is not to say I might find another cushion to tempt you with.

Yours in soft furnishings

Kate

At the beginning of Spring I always find myself wanting to shed something, usually several extra sneaky kilos thanks to lots of slow cooking. This year I am looking at shedding the black wardrobe that has hidden me so well this Winter. So I started looking for clothes that would be feminine, flattering (I hate that word because we all know it is code for anything over size 10) and age appropriate. I had not put myself into any age category until this year when the greys started, I was no longer able to qualify for a Contiki tour, I needed glasses and I began to look for moisturisers that had filling and elastic qualities. Not that I am over the hill, just a bit more sensitive especially after the email reminding me that my 20 year school reunion was looming.

I found this great website in America which is loaded with designs based on the dresses of the 50's and 60's. Feminine and flattering without looking like fancy dress. So from that I have looked locally and found some great pieces from our local vintage haven Ruby Red Dress, Ferguson Street Canowindra. Donna has sourced some knock out dresses that will make me feel all womanly.

So what does all this have to do with homewares and Bendy Street? For starters I will be feeling fabulous in my new frocks but I thought about all the labour saving appliances and gadgets we have now compared to when pretty dresses were the norm. Are they really saving us that much labour and are we losing something in the process? I had always wanted a mouli and have brought in a couple of excellent quality ones with the crops of sweet organic tomatoes only weeks away. As much as the food processor has made the job of slicing, dicing and pumelling so much easier, it is much harder to hear the conversations of those around you. However, as you wind the mouli handle in preparation for a day of making fresh tomato sauce you could be discovering a whole family history, a day at school or some pretty juicy town gossip.

I also have a coffee grinder (only one left) which is ground by hand. I always remember one of my first mornings setting up the shop. I popped into the Rusty Spade for my coffee fix and Cindy was warming up the beans so it would be just right. The attention to the art of coffee was worth the wait.

Maybe we all need to slow down, pulp some tomatoes, grind some coffee and find a great frock to feel a bit lovely for a minute, then we can go back to school pickup, emails, texts, tolls and traffic with the knowledge we can take a domestic detour every now and then.

See you at Bendy Street Kate

The June long weekend was blessed with picture perfect winter sunshine and it seemed everyone was out travelling and exploring.

The lovely V looked after the shop while I went to Sydney for a friend's birthday and an explore through the Blue Mountains. It is always nice to step away to get some fresh perspective.

On our way home we stumbled upon a fantastic old shop, an emporium in every sense of the word. Everything was in it's original box from the 20's and 30's. I had a lovely time rumaging through boxes of tortoise shell knitting needles in their original packaging, jars of buttons and more boxes of feathers and millinery supplies. This was not an exercise to be undertaken with a husband at your side. Never the less I still managed to take home a set of knitting needles, a handful of buttons and a velvet brooch with bright red berries as a thank you to V for manning the fort while I swanned around.

So with fresh eyes and a mini holiday I had another look at The Bendy Street Emporium and there was something missing. Ribbons! So now I have a collection of Vandoros ribbons. Grosgrains, taffetta and silk all waiting for piggy tails, presents and projects.

Next time you are travelling over the mountains, take some time to find the hidden treasures that have something magical about them.

And no, I am not telling you where the shop is...

Slowly but surely I am getting all the products in the shop onto the online Bendy Street Emporium. I am very excited to finally have Little Lamb Tales jewellery for babies, kids and mothers online.

Little Lamb Tales is a collection of jewellery by the very talented Caitlin Boyce from Melbourne. Her designs take you back to your childhood. I know I always wanted a blue bird charm necklace as a little girl.

Added to this is Caitlin's commitment to fair trade policies in the manufacture of her packaging. With each bangle comes a handmade knitted lamb. These are made by the women of the Sreepur Women and Children's village in rural Bangladesh. The village was set up to provide refuge, education and financial assistance to women who would otherwise find themselves destitute. A portion of profits from Little Lamb Tales sales goes to this refuge. All packaging is produced in accordance with the ECOTA Fair Trade Forum.

These little treasures make perfect keepsake gifts for new babies, expectant mothers and just because you have to have one. Little girls can also indulge with the pendant necklace made with pretty charms on a silk cord. I know of one 7 year old with her eye on it.

More products to be loaded this week, I will keep you posted.

Last Friday I had the great pleasure of taking some photos for a couple of local debutantes, Cait and Lachlan. We chose our old railway station as a backdrop and to save Cait's beautiful shoes we chose our ruby red Pipduck gumboots as an alternative. They looked so good we had to have a photo.

So any budding brides or debutantes who are after something different or a stylish standby shoe for your big day we can highly recommend these boots.

Cait and Lachlan looked great and it was a joy photographing two teenagers full of life, smiles and a great outlook on life.

By all accounts the ball was a huge success and our model was the belle...not that I am biased in any way.

Off to jump in some puddles now after a night of steady fat raindrops.

Kate

Melbourne label Lily and Lulu can now be found in store at the Bendy Street Emporium.

Classic french inspired shirts, shoes and handbags have been walking out the door. Soft cotton and crisp linen shirts that go with jeans, leggings or classic pants. These shirts have suited everyone from the very tall to the vertically challenged. We love them.

Just arrived is a very luxurious queen size quilt cover in white linen with a delicate ruffle. Only one available and if I didn't have three children and a farmer husband it would be coming home with me. Maybe when I get my own studio...

We have also been drooling over the shoes. For winter we have two styles of black pumps. One in velvet with a pointed toe and silk flower, the other in black linen, rounded toe and linen flower. Perfect for any occaision.

The Lily and Lulu clothing collection is only availble in store as we like you to try on the shirts and shoes to avoid disappointment.