If you clamour for glamour that is less about glitz and more about unexpected details then ANGUS & CELESTE might be your thing. We love the understated elegance of this range of fine bone china jewellery adorned with delicate motifs of flora, animals and other curios. A&C recently joined us at the inaugural Sydney event (the images here were taken at the Sydney show). We were thrilled to have them there and just as excited to say they will be at Magnolia Square at the Malvern Town Hall in a few weeks - click here for event details.

lucky duck....

Opening time each morning at Sydney resulted in scenes such as these with eager shoppers keen to get amongst the very finest in unique and gorgeous wares showing for the first time in Sydney.

One lucky shopper will enjoy her next Magnolia Square even more with her $200 shopping voucher in hand.

Congratulations to.....Donna Loon from Baulkham Hills who is the winner of our $200 Country Style competition. The only hard part left Donna is choosing what to spend your voucher on!!

colour burst....

Had to share these incredible images with you.

Mathematically organic paper sculptures,” is how Miami-based artist Jen Stark describes her quirky and captivatingly colorful creations. Having started off using colored construction paper more out of economic necessity, she now minutely assembles up to a hundred layers of paper that she separately cuts by hand into complex, precisely arranged, vibrant 3-D objects.

Jen Stark's art is endlessly mysterious. In addition to her explosive, painstakingly detailed drawings the young artist builds wondrous sculptures out of layers, folds, and cutouts of multi-hued paper, leaving viewers as engrossed by the pieces' beauty as they are baffled by their execution. What amazing patience!

Learn more about Jenn Stark here....

stick em up.....

Imagine the possibilities: large, vibrant, stylish designs add new dimension to your home decor. Classic to contemporary, country quaint to urban chic. Removable wall decals allow you to reinvent your space again and again, quickly, easily and with minimum expense.

In 2006 Fiona and and Jen started The Wall Sticker Company; a Melbourne-based business passionate about the "wow" factor that wall stickers can create in a room.

"We offer designs which aim to create a customers ultimate space; whether our customer is a home owner, a renter, or a business, creative or not. We have designs which stand alone and add instant impact, designs which can be used together to create a theme and even an interactive story for children, and designs which are so simple, the customer can create the feeling themselves"

Look out for the girls at Magnolia Square in Malvern later this month. Click here for times and further details.

heaven is a biscuit....

"The recipe of a truly great biscuit can’t be found inside a book, but rather in the heart and hands of the maker."

I must confess to being a biscuit devotee when it comes to Michels; it's the passion fruit creams that get me every time! Its the buttery, tart flavour that tastes so homemade and literally melts in your mouth.

Michel's Fine Biscuit Co. Castlemaine is an Australian owned and operated company based in regional, Victoria. Since 2002 the company has been delivering freshly baked handmade products with passion and enthusiasm. Using the finest, freshest ingredients with no added colours or preservatives backed to order and including a gluten free range.

Michel’s Fine Biscuits Co. Castlemaine source and use the finest natural fresh ingredients, local lemons, raspberries, passion fruit (Queensland), Belgian couverture chocolate, Australian macadamias, pistachios, pecans, and almonds. The freshest, top quality ginger from Buderim in Queensland, free range eggs, and fresh butter are also used. The biscuits are free of preservatives, artificial colours and flavours.

Tempt your taste buds at Magnolia Square Malvern - you will be hooked!

red berry takes it out....

Red Berry Design was voted number 1 in the first visual merchandising award in Sydney....closely followed by the thoughtfully gorgeous stands from Little Bubble and Tree, Red Wagon, Bluebird and Honey and Little Bird Photography.

Owner and designer,Jacqueline speaks of her experiences at the fair;

"Being part of Magnolia Square gave me the perfect platform to showcase my hand made range to the public. The superb range of high quality goods presented at the event created a unique shopping experience for both the general public and retailers alike.

Magnolia Square created a more personal and intimate approach to presenting my range allowing me to chat on a one to one basis to potential buyers and explain design influences and qualities to my range, giving the shopper a special insight to the creativity process for each individual piece.

To sum up Magnolia Square I would have to say; beautiful pieces and wonderfully creative people. It was amazing to have so many talented creators all together participating in the one event. Can’t wait for the next, bigger and better Sydney event in November."

We can't wait either Jacqueline..congats on your well deserved award!

Images courtesy of Little Bird Photography..please do not use without prior consent.

SYDNEY, we had a great time ...

Here are a few images of the event in Sydney. We had a fantastic 3 days and trust that Sydney siders enjoyed the fair as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. A BIG thank you to the 53 retailers who showed at Magnolia Square, you are all to be congratulated on a wonderful effort. Stay tuned to the blog over the coming weeks as we show you lots more of what went on including images from our media morning. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the show, please send me an email directly to nic@magnoliasquare.com.au .

the night after...

We are all busy bees here in Sydney gearing up for the launch of Magnolia Square. The line up is incredible and we know you are going to love everything you see!

Serious shoppers are in for a big day..sleep santuary has just the thing for the wind down! A business based on a good nights sleep, Sleep Sanctuary firmly believes that in today's busy world, sleep time should be the most restful, rejuvenating and relaxing time of day.

"After experiencing the "2am worry-ups" for many years, aptly named because of the sudden 2am wake-up spent worrying about looming deadlines and everything else, we discovered a magic essential oil that instantly soothed and calmed us back to sleep, putting aside our worries to a more reasonable time of day"

Sleep time is the only time most women have to themselves these days. In the wise words of Faith Popcorn, "In our quest to have it all, somebody still has to do it all". Sleep Sanctuary has therefore been created to make bedtime a soothing, relaxing experience - a time of retreat to a luxurious, cocooning oasis.

See these and other fabulous retailers TOMMORROW at Magnolia Square..click here for more info.

Moyou for you....

The Canberra contingent are on there way to Sydney!! Among them is Textile Designer Amy Kerr with her gorgeous business Moyou.

Moyou is a unique and ever-expanding fabric, jewellery, homeware, accessory and toy range. Each piece is a culmination of Amy's personal style; a wonderful Australian/Asian hybrid. Amy continues to be inspired by Japanese culture and as such her collection is a unique blend of Australian design and Japanese aesthetic.

This limited edition, hand screen printed fabric has been printed with environmentally friendly, solvent free ink on natural 62% Hemp/38% Cotton blend base cloth. With hues of warm grey and aubergine, the prints showcase concentric arrow and circle patterns for a stunning effect.

Visit Amy at Magnolia Square Sydney. Click here for further details.

simply delicious...

Sisters Natalie and Sarah, are Simply Original, both passionate foodies who together have developed a range of gourmet dressings, sauces and tapenades from the finest Australian ingredients. Here is a sample of the edible delights they will have available for you to taste test at Magnolia Square Sydney...

Marinated Mushrooms - made from the freshest premium mushrooms, delicately sauteed until they are soft enough to almost melt in the mouth, then marinated in a light mixture of herbs, garlic, lemon juice, a blend of oils and a special secret ingredient.

Black Olive Tapenade with Anchovy – exquisite simplicity – the simplest of combinations – black olive and premium anchovies blended to perfection. Apparently even anchovy haters love it so don’t let that put you off!!

Caramelised Balsamic Vinegar - made by reducing balsamic vinegar until it is thick and rich, sweetening in the process. The texture is velvety and the flavour is deliciously sweet -yum!

See the girls at Randwick for a delicious sample and ask about the Simply Original cooking school...Masterchef here we come!

my friends, my loves....

The first Magnolia Square in Sydney is just 1WEEK AWAY! The first 500 guests to arrive each day will receive a free Magnolia Square goodie bag. Amongst other things, you will find a two for one pass to My Friends, My Loves from our friends at Hopscotch Films.

An engaging romantic comedy, My Friends, My Loves is a bubbly spin on the 'odd-couple' set-up. When Mathias (Vincent Lindon) moves from Paris to London’s South Kensington to join his best friend, the divorced Antoine, they decide to establish a new household for their kids by moving in together. They set themselves some ground rules: they will never call on babysitters nor will they ever bring any girlfriends home. It seems like the perfect solution for two single fathers in their thirties. But in reality life is not so simple, especially when Mathias starts to fall for the beautiful Audrey (Virginie Ledoyen.)

Juggling parental obligations, romantic intrigues and differences of opinion, we are drawn into the colourful world of the French ex-pat enclave in London and the intertwining destinies of its locals. With a nod to the warm humour of screenwriter Richard Curtis (Notting Hill, Love Actually), My Friends, My Loves is tender and light-hearted entertainment. See trailer here. In Cinemas July 16, 2009.

Don't miss out on your goodie bag...be one of the first 500 through the door!!

Trading times - Thursday 2nd July 2pm - 9pm

Friday 3rd July 10am - 5pm
Saturday 4th July 10am - 4pm

Enter Royal Randwick Racecourse via Alison Road. A parking attendant will direct you to parking and the Teahouse. See you there!!!

magnolia square supports beyond blue...

As most mothers will tell you having a baby is a life changing experience. For some women the joy and euphoria of a new baby can be masked with feelings of helplessness, isolation and anxiety and for 16% of Australian women this can lead to post natal depression.

This year, Magnolia Square will be supporting the work of beyondblue, the national depression initiative in particular the areas of anti natal and post natal depression. Information on treatments, help services and support will be available at the beyondblue table at Magnolia Square which you are welcome to take home and read or pass on to someone you know. The beyondblue website is also a great resource for information on helping yourself and helping others.

You can help this worthwhile cause by purchasing a ticket in our Magnolia Square Raffle...a basket of goodies overflowing with a product from each of our carefully selected retailers - forget the 90million lottery draw..all you will ever want will be in that basket!! Tickets are $2 each at the door. We thank -you in advance for your support.

shades of blue...

There is a lot to love about Love AJ - we love the delicately hand cut papers, the carefully chosen colour schemes, and the new dragonfly range.....we also love that 5% of all sales are donated to the Crohns and Colitis Australia (CCA) to support the work they do.

Amber handpicks appealing papers from around the globe to lovingly craft into striking wall decor. The lineal paper placements act as textured colour blocks and beg for a closer look.

A closer look can be had when Love AJ comes to Magnolia Square in Sydney...only 9 more sleeps to go!!! See who else we have lined up for you here...

art to be worn...

If shine and glitz aren't your thing, Angus and Celeste have you in mind. The Melbourne based duo have produced an alternative to the precise edges of precious metals and the glitzy glamour of jewels and have instead crafted their collection from Fine Bone China.

The Angus and Celeste range is a fusion between the old and the new. A collection of contemporary yet classically organic shapes are individually decorated with designs inspired by ornate fabrics, classical patterns, fauna and flora. Each piece is ornate in it's charm and timeless in design - art to be worn and adored.

See the collection at Magnolia Square Sydney and future Melbourne Fairs...now how breathtaking is that model????

once upon a time

WOW ... we are VERY excited to announce that Bride & Wolfe will be coming from Melbourne to Sydney to participate in our event at Randwick. If you are a home wares/lifestyle magazine junkie then you will have spotted these distinctive wall hangings before (they are featured in INSIDE OUT this month - Top 100 Designer buys under $100).

Creator Miranda Moreira spent many years living and working in Paris. A favourite and nearby little store in the 6th arrondissiment displayed a silhouette of Hansel & Gretel imagery behind their counter. Completely captivated by the fairytale decoration but unable to take it home, Miranda parked the idea and bought it to life when she returned home to Melbourne Australia.

And that was the beginning of Bride & Wolfe. Make sure you see all of the range at Magnolia Square Randwick.

wear are the keys ...

If you like your jewellery to make a statement, then these pieces from TYPEKEY will do that quite literally! The keys in this range are authentic and therefore old, dating from the 1930's. They have a lovely patina and imperfectness that adds to the charm of this up cycled collection. To see a wide range of bracelets, pendants, rings, earrings & cufflinks visit Magnolia Square at Randwick July 2, 3 and 4. Click for trading times.

all the belles and whiselles...

Paper lovers rejoice...we have something to celebrate here! Belles and Whiselles is sparklingly new and emerged when 2 local Sydney girls (belles) fused together to not only bring a wealth of design knowledge & experience to the market, but a unique experience filled with the added extras of Passion and Fun (whiselles).

The girls have carefully curated a range of superb cards, invites and gift tags that reflect a perfect blend of grown up savoir fare and a little bit of fun. Each piece is handmade and aims to create a 'smile in the mind'.

We are loving the Ebony and Ivory range (shown). The black & white colour scheme is the epitome of classic, an expression of prestige and sophistication, whilst the injection of orange offers an unexpected and lively boost.

See Belles and Whiselles at Magnolia Square at Randwick Racecourse July 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

add some sparkle ...

We have added some sparkle to retail therapy giving you a delicious reason to visit Magnolia Square in 2 weeks time. Your shopping sojourn to Randwick will not be complete without sampling a thoroughly modern cupcake from Sparkle Cupcakery.

Founder Kathryn Sutton has turned the traditional cupcake on its head! Her cupcakes are for the uber cool, minimilist and modern cake eater. Not a 100's & 1000's or pink frosted cake to be seen in this swanky packaging.

The bold dot that takes centre stage on these cakes doubles as a clever coding system for the flavours - all 16 of them; green tea and bubbles or afternoon delight anyone? Take a look at the flavour offering, rather like a pantone colour chart except this one is edible.

For more info including tea parties and cupcakes to takehome visit http://www.sparklecupcakery.com.au/.

gallery piece...

Hand picked semi precious stones, intricate, unusual beads and freshwater pearls of all shapes and sizes lay alongside sterling silver, leather and interesting hand cast and polished pendants – all the ingredients of a Leoni & Vonk piece of jewellery.

Maria Leoni and Nicky Vonk, both accomplished silversmiths realised that together they could fulfill their dream of producing modern and timeless pieces of jewellery for women of all ages. In 2007 Leoni & Vonk was officially launched at Rosemount Australian Fashion week with their funky but classic Uberchic range.

The label has since gone from strength to strength. Along with continuing to collaborate with fashion designers the duo also produces limited edition collection for exhibitions and events. “Our work sits particularly well in Galleries”, says Nicky. “It appeals to women who are seeking exclusivity, women who don’t want to follow the pack."

Versatility is also a key feature of many Leoni & Vonk designs. “We try to design pieces that can be worn in many different ways” says Maria “We want our customers to make each piece of jewellery their own”.

See the collection at Magnolia Square in Sydney July 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

native style....

Stylidium, the trigger plant, is a delicate and beautiful Australian native. According to sisters Robyn and Jan, it is one of the many little known indigenous plants that are easily overlooked and has become the inspiration for their textiles business of the same name.

"We aim to bring the inconspicuous into view with our designs and products and aim to create designs of little know species, including endangered and lesser known plants" says Robyn

Interpretations of Eucalyptus, Fennel flower and Bottle Tree all feature in the limited edition range of fresh contemporary prints. The Stylidium Design collection includes handbags, cushions and fabric sold by the metre all of which are manufactured in Australia with an emphasis on quality, and printed with biodegradable inks.

We look forward to seeing the collection at Magnolia Square in Sydney in just a few weeks!

truly great design....

The range from Zaishu typifies what Magnolia Square is all about - great Australian design, individual styling and a beautiful end product.

Zaishu is a multi award winning slot-together object that is as much a piece of art as it is a piece of furniture. Zaishu was launched in 2004 by Australian designers Matthew Butler and Helen Punton at the prestigious Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Melbourne. It was subsequently launched internationally at the Milan Furniture Fair and Milan Art Fair.

Environmental concern is at the core of the design, from the native Australian Hoop Pine to the water based inks used down to the biodegradable plastic made from corn starch used to wrap the finished product.

Zaishu will be showing at the Melbourne Design Market Sunday 14th of June at Federation Square mixing with other established and emerging designers. We are also pleased to announce that Matt and Helen will be bringing their superb range to Magnolia Square later in the year..stay tuned.

heaven be thy name...

Garden lovers will delight in the offerings from Heaven in Earth. Jocelyn and Justin Jan Hoven both passionate horticulturists, identified a gap in the market for traditional, well made gardening products and begun curating a beautiful collection of countrified cultivation tools.

4 years on the product range is diverse, from classic dibbers to coloured twines and hand rolled soaps, and the company philosophy simple - 'like a rustic country garden, where nothing is too structured, nothing too rushed'

Heaven in Earth (we love the name!) compliments their philosophy by seeking out products which are locally produced or are manufactured with a focus on renewable resources...now I wonder if they sell green thumbs!

See the range at Magnolia Square in Sydney July 2-4th.

resinate...

Okay the wish list for Magnolia Square Sydney is getting increasingly longer but no amount of retail discipline will prevent one of these stunning rings coming home with me! They are the work of Brooke McAlery, a self taught resin jewellery designer and the master crafts person behind Trove.

Brooke uses gorgeous papers and vintage fabrics combined with resin to produce a unique and super stylish range of rings, necklaces, cuff links and earrings. The results are breathtaking pieces of wearable art.

Trove will be exhibiting at Magnolia Square July and has a fabulous giveaway on offer - look out for your Snippets newsletter for details. If you would like to subscribe to Snippets click here.

maggie & sparrow ...

Three cheers for Maggie and Sparrow for a stunning stand at our recent Tiny & Small event in Brighton. Button jars & colourful cotton reels gave it an old haberdashery counter feel. Kathryn's quilts were especially beautiful. The fabric colours and print combinations struck the perfect balance between old fashioned comfy cosy and contemporary chic, making her quilts very much at home in any modern nursery or bedroom. Congrats Kathryn for being awarded the best visually merchandised stand by fellow exhibitors! Read the maggie & sparow blog here

meet miss chai...

Meet Anthea Cahill AKA Chai Girl; founder of RealChai. She loves her chai tea and, beginning at Magnolia Square, is set to show the world just how good a chai can be!

According to Anthea, not all chai’s are created equal. It takes passion, love and the finest quality ingredients. Like many of life’s finest things, quality varies greatly depending on the maker’s expertise and dedication - Anthea has both in droves.

"For me chai is a way of life. It represents connection, pleasure and wellbeing. Chai has brought so much joy to my life that I have made it my purpose to create and share the perfect RealChai experience"

Every ingredient in RealChai has been lovingly sourced and uniquely hand blended according to an irresistible recipe. We love that Anthea speaks of her chai as being "so tasty it makes other chai’s blush."!!

Taste the difference at Magnolia Square where Anthea will be sharing her secrets for the perfect cup, selling her take home blends and accessories and brewing up a delicious assortment of chai-Teas for shoppers.

a fragrant space...

Whether for the ambiance they create or the scent that lingers, gorgeous quality candles are a perfect way to add a special touch to your space.

When Mark Adams had exhausted his search for the perfect candle, he set about producing his own. The brief was simple, to create a high quality candle that was ecologically friendly and smelt as good as it looked.

"We chose 100% natural vegetable wax - which is our own unique wax blend as it is cleanlier burning and better for the environment. When we started testing we discovered that most candles on the market are made from paraffin/petroleum - which is a product of oil refinery and not the direction we wanted to go"

With fragrances including Tuberose, Cranberry, Vanilla Bean and Australian Wattle, you will surely be able to sniff them out at Magnolia Square Sydney!

all of this and more ...

We are loving the line up of talent coming to Magnolia Square Randwick next month. Eclectic jewellery label Typekey took Sydney by storm in February when they launched an amazing range of jewellery made from re purposed type writer keys at butique trade show Life InStyle. The keys originate from as early as the 1920's and are sourced in the US.

Bluebird and honey is an adorable newcomer to the children's wear market. We love the corduroy pinis featuring bold animal appliques.

Stylidium Designs, a sister duo who design and print fabrics were featured in Country Style in April. Their fabrics feature strong but simple imagery of Australian native plants. Fabric are sold by the metre and also as lovely home ware pieces such as cushions.

Look no further for completely unique male and female WC signs than Mooza designs!! Their product range includes letters and mobiles all handcrafted from an acrylic base topped with retro wall paper and sealed with a thick resin coating.

The divine scarf and hat shown above are from the Ella Sanders children's range (but I have to say you don't have to be a child to look gorgeous in that particular scarf!!). Ella Sanders makes the trip to Randwick from Melbourne where she has been showing her range at Magnolia Square for the last 12 months or so. You will LOVE it!!

And the adorable paper cut birds on a string .... so simple and so lovely. They are from the danish inspired range of intricate paper products by Paperklip.

These retailers and many many more (keep reading these posts) will be at Magnolia Square at the tea house, Randwick Race Course, July 2, 3 and 4. For trading times click here.

it's electrifying...

Electric Firefly has been on our radar for a while now so it was a thrill when we received an application from Simon for the Sydney Fair.

Electric Firefly captivates and inspires the imagination with its collection of lighting solutions. Designed along timeless principles of fractal and sacred geometry, the forms of nature are expressed in a modern medium that is strong, safe and durable.

Form and functionality combine with modern and classic styling to create a range that is environmentally conscious and manufactured here in Australia. Made of a durable, heat-resistant polymer sheet that is 30-50% recycled, each lamp is designed to create balance and graceful geometry.

We are thrilled to have Electric Firefly at our Sydney Fair..July 2nd ,3rd and 4th at Royal Randwick.

create a haven....

Never before has there been such a brilliant opportunity to learn from two enthusiastic & passionate interior consultants who have been professionally transforming their clients’ homes for over 20 years.

Susie Miles and Claire Jackson have combined their considerable expertise & talent to bring you a series of Designer Secrets workshops beginning early August in Melbourne.

Learn the secrets of how to transform that problem space or room with confidence, using the design & decorating techniques of professionals.

Explore colour, window treatments, lighting schemes and how to use furniture and fabrics to create your own inspirational interior.

Contact the lovely Claire for further information or to make a booking 0408 363 529.

a spoon full of..

Danni from Type Key delighted us last year with the original Typewriter bracelets, crafted from vintage type writer and cash register keys.

The latest offering is just as exquisite. Perfect pieces are re-worked from vintage and antique silverware, namely spoons and other charmingly detailed cutlery. Bracelets and rings full of character and delicacy in equal measures take the wearer to a place far gone.

Type Key will be showing the entire range at Magnolia Square in Sydney in July ( 2nd-4th)

paper savvy...

Fun and quirky, stylish and classic, old and new, Lox & Savvy’s card and stationery collection features a range of unique and creative designs that venture from barbershop stripes to hand-sewn buttons. 


The collection is defined by its attention to detail, individual designs and specially selected printing processes.

Each range has its own story and mixes the best of vintage style with sleek contemporary lines materializing in beautiful and individual matching sets of greeting cards, gift tags, envelopes, wrapping paper, and stationery.


Loving the new range of Paper chains.. printed onto 100% recycled stock/paper, assembled, with loads of colour make for a fun+quirky design piece. Can't wait to see more in July when Lox and Savvy will be showing at Magnolia Square in Randwick.

see you tommorrow...

If you haven't planned on being one of the first through the doors tomorrow at Magnolia Square Tiny and Small ...cancel all plans...you simply have to be there!

We have sourced the very finest in all things gorgeous, hip and unique for little people and promise to once again deliver an unrivaled retail experience.

Enter retail heaven tomorrow with the likes of Printspace, Green Bean, Ohme Ohmi and We Heart Books. Click here for a full list of whats in store and be sure to bring your entry form in the Meart competition for your chance to win a $500 portrait.

are you a shoe princess?

At Magnolia Square later this week author Emma Bowd will proudly debut a brand new pair of shoes. Well it's not everyday a girl gets published! Emma will be at Tiny & Small with her very funny tale of the transition from shoe addicted working-girl to swollen footed new mum! The Shoe Princess's Guide to the Galaxy, published by Allen & Unwin, is a sassy and original debut about one woman's attempts to put her best foot forward.

The offical Shoe Princess launch took place last week at the Birdcage in Brighton. Magnolia Square attended the event and yes, there were many splendid examples of footwear on show!! Emma took us through a series of questions to identify fellow shoe princesses in the room. First question ...

"Have you ever been frog-marched into your bedroom by your partner, during heated discussions about finances, to count the number of shoes in your possession?" A collective he-he-he filled the room. Needless to say most of us could answer that one in the affirmative!

For plenty more laughs pick up a signed copy of Shoe Princess at Magnolia Square this week. Emma has collaborated with the highly regarded Adelaide Hills winery, Tilbrook Estate, to give book groups a complimentary bottle of Pinot Gris 2008 (rrp $25) when six or more books are purchased in one transaction (strictly cash only).

What better excuse to pencil your next book group meeting in the calendar!