Simpson Cottage Gift Guide
Christmas Gift Guide
Image by Tim Bean Photography
With Christmas about to roll around we’re sharing some of our favourite things to make your Christmas shopping a breeze.
Christmas is often a blur as we rush to meet deadlines and “perform” and instead of enjoying the moment, we’re paddling like mad just to stay afloat and wish Christmas was just over and done with, so with that in mind we’ve rounded up our favourite things to make the entire gift giving circus the joy its meant to be.
Each gift is lovingly made by people we know and love, most makers are nearby, and all the businesses are owned by the makers themselves. Simpson Cottage is all about stories and memories, so we’ve shared a tiny snippet of each maker and business, just to add to the romance and warmth of the gift.
1. Simpson Cottage Time: Why not give somebody an escape at Simpson Cottage?
It’s a thing, there’s ‘real world time’ and ‘Simpson Cottage time’. Life slows down at Simpson Cottage the moment you walk through the gate. Something happens and all you want to do is sit and watch the world go by.
What’s not to love about a gift of time for a loved one to escape from the real world, and hey hopefully you’ll be invited! Follow the link to our gift cards
Image by Abbie Melle
2. Sadler & Co Fine leather goods & artisan wares
We love Saddler & Co for their handmade leather bags. A family owned and run business Headed up by Jemima and Bede Aldridge is the saddler and maker, Jemima is the stylist and designer. We collaborated earlier in the year so they could capture some images of their leather handbags in action the results were stunning, check out the blog post here and head over to their site here to sink your teeth into some feel good gift ideas that will last for years and get better with age.
3. Tea Yes, you read that correctly tea, TEA, not just any tea hand blended tea from Dales Run Wellness Co
Tea is a bit like wine, the grapes and blends determine the wine flavour, and the leaves and their blends determine the tea flavour, but like grapes, tea flavours depend do the seasons and weather. Earlier this year we met Jess from Dales Run Wellness Co; a tea sommelier and blender who lives almost on our doorstep, who introduced me to the intricacies of tea and stepped me through a tasting -much like wine tasting, and I have a whole new appreciation for the humble drop.
Jess lives in Sutherland, and before she started her own Dales Run Tea Brand she was involved in blending bespoke teas for some of Australias iconic five-star hotels. She blends delicious small-batch teas you can order them online here.
She created our very own Simpson Cottage tea, blended just for us. You can also purchase it from the Curated Cupboard, and soon you’ll be able to purchase it on our website. In the meantime, just get in touch with us here to order your Simpson Cottage blend.
Image Courtesy Ali F Made It
4. Ceramics Because we LOVE handmade ceramics
We love handmade ceramics so much that I’ve started making them myself. I haven’t perfected it well enough to sell them, but you’ll find some I’ve made amongst our treasured collection of handmade ceramics in the kitchen.
Our most recent ceramic discovery is another nearby maker who makes the most amazing cups we use for tea every day. Her name is Ali Fairburn, an insurance consultant by day and ceramicist whenever she can fit it in.
You can find Ali’s ceramic goodness here https://alifmadeit.com/
The first handmade ceramics we fell in love with are made in the Barossa by Ilona Glastonbury.
Ilona collects clay from a nearby creek to mix with clay she’s purchased and then lovingly creates anything from teapots to tiny salt pots. It’s the speckles we love not to mention the fact there’s a little bit of the Barossa in each piece.
You can find ceramics here, but you have to be quick they sell like hotcakes. We occasionally get lucky and stock some in our curated cupboard and Tomolly Carcoar also stock her ceramics
Catherine made the corporate change when she discovered her pottery talent and just so happens to live nearby us in Bondi. You’ll love the addition of her ceramics in your kitchen which are all hand-built, as opposed to thrown on a wheel. It’s the organic shapes we love.
Deb of little white dish specialises in urns she’s lovingly created so people can remember loved ones. It sounds morbid, but she explains “it’s an honour to be able to make a vessel that their loved one (or pet) will reside in and have them know it was made with love”. We don’t have any of her urns, but she has made our Simpson Cottage mugs. They’re’ made to be cradled in your hands and have a little dimple so you can hold them in one hand comfortably. That’s the romance and warmth we are talking about!
Georgie Dolling
Georgie is a food stylist by trade and has a business hiring props to other stylists and photographers. It was a stress release that started her love affair with making her own ceramics, and she now rolls them with her rolling pin and breaks the “rules” when it comes to glazing. It’s that perfectly imperfect result we love.
This one is a little different from buying ceramics already made.
Tucked away in a quiet Bundeena Street you’ll find a studio where you can learn to make your own ceramics. I did a class with my daughter when she was about 12 – she’s now 24 and we still have and use the cups we made and treasure those memories.
Image by Laura Reid
5. Bondi Wash soaps and home cleansers
We use and supply Bondi Wash throughout the cottage, it works, is lovely and eco-friendly and its a useful gift. The fact it was created in Bondi helps -my husband Steve and his mum grew up in Bondi, and we still live there, so how could we resist Bondi wash
Image Courtesy of Bondi Wash
6. Saarde Antibes turkish towels
Not only are we a fan of these for their beautiful design inspired by 1950’s style found along the Côte d’Azur with the wide stripes that are evocative of those found on the deck chairs and umbrellas dotted along the coast but these soft and absorbent flat woven towels are the perfect meeting of practicality and aesthetics for your Summer adventures.
Bonus gift idea: TIME This one is a special gift.
Why not make a date with somebody you’d love to spend time with; get out into the Royal National Park and discover what’s on our doorstep. You could elevate it by taking a packed lunch made to order from Bundeena Picnics. You’ll find some fantastic walks here, and the best part is this gift is priceless, but it needn’t cost a cent.
Our Christmas wish for you is that you can find ways to slow down and enjoy the festive season.
Merry Christmas,
Tara x
Words by Tara Larnach