Swonderful

New website!!

2011-11-15T12:44:00.000+13:00

Swonderful.co.nz

Our brand new website is now live! Sorry for the down time, we've had quite a few unwanted bugs- we had to call in some serious pest control! It's all shiny & new now! More products will be added this week :)

So from now on you can find our blog posts over on the new site!

Make sure you read our news too!!

Black out!

2011-10-26T15:18:00.000+13:00

Congratulations to us! Or rather the All Blacks on behalf of our beautiful & very proud country! We can now all breathe a sigh of relief as it's all over & we are the champions!

In honour of the mighty All Blacks we've put together a bunch of black beauties we have in store right now...

1. Smarty singlet $115 2. Leo organic baby tee $22 3. Scrumptious studs $18

4. Flamingo shorts $140 5. Black beret $25 6. Honey trap dress $295

7. Straw boater hat $35 8. Scrumptious cameo brooch $28

9. Oh Wellington tea towel $22 10. Whistle stop skirt $140

11. "Yeah, write" pencil $2 12. Smarvelous dress $238

Also check out this amazing video! Via Olivia at Lily's Make Believe.

Absolutely Positively...

2011-09-23T09:00:00.001+12:00

Oh Wellington!

Via Devon Smith

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

2011-09-15T09:45:00.000+12:00

So it's our official birthday TODAY! We are FOUR! We can't quite believe it! To celebrate this momentous occasion we are giving away Teza tea! Come in & get free Teza today!! We have 5 glorious flavors Lemon & Mandarin, Velvetberry, Mango & Ginger, Peach & Passionflower & Feijoa & Limeblossom. YUM! See you soon x

Lookbook is live!

2011-09-15T07:00:00.001+12:00

Click here or here to see our beautiful new collection!
New styles are arriving every week x

How Nifty!

2011-09-14T16:07:00.000+12:00

New in the shop! Beautiful screen prints of two of our favorite designs- Nifty & Swellington Ahoy!

These are limited edition & at a crazy great price! Just $65 for a signed A2 print. Swell!

Finishes tomorrow!

2011-09-10T14:13:00.000+12:00

Our ONCE'IT sale finishes at Midday tomorrow! There are still some great bargains to be had-

KISSIN' COUSINS DRESS IN RED & NAVY $89!

OUTLAW SHIRT GINGHAM $99!

OUTLAW SHIRT BRODERIE $99 & COLONEL MUSTARD SKIRT NAVY $99!

ONCE'IT

2011-09-08T11:07:00.000+12:00

Click here to shop our ONCE'IT sale! Ends Sunday at Midday!

WE ARE FOUR!

2011-09-06T17:00:00.000+12:00

Omfg! We can't quite believe it- we're turning 4 this month! We've come a long way since our humble beginning in Brooklyn & we owe it all to you & loyal fans! So thank you! Thank you.

Come celebrate with us on Friday & preview our new range- The Sands. There wil be tea from our friends at Teza & cupcakes! Not to mention beautiful, gorgeous FROCKS.

See you there!

PS- Take a squiz at our video lookbook!

Last days!

2011-08-19T16:30:00.000+12:00

Our sale is coming to end- we're making way for summer- oh summer! We can't wait to show you our new collection... in the meantime get yourself a bargain while you can!

SALE!

2011-08-13T13:47:00.000+12:00

Our sale is still in full force! We've added a "Nothing over $50" rack- including a swag of gorgeous dresses for $50 and skirts at $40!! More stock is being added & reduced daily.

Also- you may have seen on our facebook page a note about Sunday designer Miriam White's entry into the Westpac Young Designer Competition- you can help Miriam to realize her dream by voting here- And you can be in the draw to win a $100 Sunday voucher by leaving a comment on her blog. GO MIRIAM!

Auckland

2011-07-29T09:00:00.000+12:00

Last week I was up in Auckland for a few days- visiting family & showing off this cute baby of mine.

I always enjoy visiting my home town but because its so spread out I often have to make a list of places I want to visit, & this time I'm sharing! Here are some of our favorite spots in Auckland:

Queenies Lunchroom
24a Spring Street, Freemans Bay
Sweet design & decor, lovely staff & who can resist a cafe that calls itself a lunchroom? We've also spotted a staff member wearing on our our Diamond Sea knitted hair clips! Great minds :)

Fabric & pretty things
479 Parnell Road, Parnell
Beautiful fabrics, notions & haberdashery all packed into a sweet old Villa on Parnell Road. I could trawl this shop for hours.

Yellow Brick Road
279 Parnell Road, Parnell
Discovering The Yellow Brick Road was like coming home. It's like my Swonderful away from Swonderful. Gorgeous clothes & knick knacks- all very affordable & situated behind an ice cream shop.... too tempting!

Douglas & Bec
9 St Mary’s Road, Ponsonby
Douglas & Bec has a great mix of amazing designer furniture & home wares but also cute jewellery & cards. They house a great mix of price points so even though I can't afford one of there amazing lamps I can support them by buying a tea towel!

Peppin
184 Jervois Rd, Herne Bay
The best kids boutique. Ever. So many gorgeous clothes with cute twee prints- mostly organic & all beautiful! Plus there's a little boat in the middle of the shop! A boat!

The Bread & Butter Letter
The Bread & Butter Letter is like Swonderful if we did vintage. A quirky mix of stationery, jewellery & crafty things & the finest picks of affordable vintage clothing.

On the girls this week...

2011-07-28T09:00:00.001+12:00

Roxy, Pizazz and Stormer are feeling fresh in mustard this week...

Left-

Merino scarflet $40

Harriett Falvey Bea coat $280

Sunday short n sweet top $160

Colonel Mustard skirt $170

Center-Winter white beret $35
Cat Cat Owl brooch $22
Bonnie dress $255

Right-

Outlaw blouse broderie $180
Outlaw mustard tie $18

Cat Cat Owl birdie brooch $22

Alfie skirt grey wool $185

Winter at Swonderful

2011-07-27T15:23:00.001+12:00

The shop is looking rather gorgeous right now if we do say so ourselves! We've got pom poms, bunting & cute & cozy clothes galore! Head over to our flickr for more pics :)

On the girls this week...

2011-07-09T11:20:00.002+12:00

This week on Roxy, Pizazz and Stormer-

Left-

Winter white beret $35

Kidnapped merino blouse in navy $165
Colonel Mustard skirt $170

Center-
In the Navy merino scarf $60
Kissin' cousins dress in navy $180
Spotty fabric belt $38

Right-
Black beret $35
Victory blouse in mustard $135
Colonel mustard skirt in navy $170

In situ

2011-07-08T15:00:00.002+12:00

Here a couple of our favorite Devon Smith prints we have in the shop up on a wall all framed & pretty. Don't they look great? At just $18 each they are such a great affordable way to spruce up a wall & make your home look spiffing! x

Workroom sale

2011-07-04T09:00:00.002+12:00

Our workroom sale last Saturday was AMAZING. Thank you so much to everyone who came & supported us. We really didn't know if many people would come & we were blown away by how many of our lovely fans showed up! It was lovely to see so many familiar faces too.
Thanks so much to Sunday, Love Love Lorelei, Free Range Baby & Ragdoll Illustrations. We're looking forward to organizing more events like this in the future! xxx

On the girls this week...

2011-07-01T09:00:00.001+12:00

Some nice combos on our mannequins (Pizazz, Roxy & Stormer) this week!

From the left -

Sunday Celestial top in cream silk $180

Papercup Jubillee scarf $40

Sarah McNeil bunny brooch $38

Papercup Casino Royal silk velvet skirt in rose $170

Center-

Harriett Falvey Rosie Posie dress $310
Winter white beret $35

Right-

Papercup Outlaw shirt in broderie $180
Sunday Short n' Snug top in cream wool $170
Papercup Diner skirt in khaki $135
Cuff Hunter stag necklace $46

Guest post

2011-06-30T09:00:00.002+12:00

We've got a guest spot up now at Word on the Street! It's all about what we love about this fine city of ours. Pop on over for a gander!

The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow Part IV

2011-06-29T09:00:00.009+12:00

Click here for Part III !
It turns out that one wears a casino royal velvet skirt & outlaw broderie blouse, feels somewhere in between 'nervous excitement' and 'nervous nerves,' and drinks two glasses of wine before leaving the house.

Caroline and I trotted up to the designated bar at 7pm exactly, ready to be swept off our collective feet.
"I hope it's not full of nutters," I said.
"Don't be ridiculous," Caroline replied, "speed dating is now completely socially acceptable."
I frowned. I didn't feel socially acceptable, I felt weird. "I feel weird. Do I look weird? I look weird."
It was only after much coaxing from Caroline ("you don't look weird, you look nice, you're just being paranoid") that we walked into the bar, where I breathed a sigh of relief to see that, for the most part, it was full of other people who looked about the same age - and level of nervousness - as we were. There was one middle-aged, sweatily bald man in khaki shorts but it turned out he'd come to watch the cricket and was in the wrong pub.

For those who have never braved the social sushi train of speed dating, this is how it works: you start off with a little card numbered 1 - 10 down the side, and each number corresponds to a complete stranger that you spend 5 minutes chatting to. At the end of the 5 minutes if you fancy the pants off him you write YES opposite his number, and if you'd rather the pants stayed on at all costs you write NO. At the end of the night the cards are collected and, if you had a Mutual Yes, contact details are exchanged and you embark on the romance of your lives. Or something like that.

Caroline and I took separate tables and I sat, looking impatiently around the bar, tapping my fingers on the table and wishing that there was free wine. My first date was a perfectly nice truck driver who really should have been dating a truck, because he talked about nothing else. He seemed interested in me though! "I'm actually driving up to Hamilton tonight," he said, "if you want to come." Must have been my headlamps. I wrote down NO.

Next up was a chap who decided to tell me all about his recent ex, an extraordinarily patient woman who would "massage my legs every night, because walking home from work made them sore." He looked at me hopefully. I peeked under the table to where stubbies revealed a pair of large and hairy thighs. I wrote down NO.

He was followed in quick succession by an engineer with terrible breath, a charmless banker with a monobrow, and a man who did artificial insemination in cows and talked about this with far too much enthusiasm.

Seven minidates in, I was beginning to doubt the likelihood of a Mutual Yes ever emerging... until Number 8 walked up to the table. I was a little intimidated by Number 8 - he looked confident and casual and, on top of that, rather handsome in a long-haired, rock band kind of a way - but then he sat down opposite me, completely missed the chair and landed heavily on the floor with a shouted expletive. Everyone turned to stare. I attempted to stifle a giggle.
"Sorry," he said, hoisting himself back into the chair, "I missed the- the thing. I'm terrible at this, I haven't been speed dating before and I came with a friend, I thought there might be free wine... sorry. I'm Harrison. Hello."
United by our dismay at the lack of free wine, we started chatting - I found out that he was three years older than me, worked in event management and was not, despite appearances, in a band. (I had no complaints about that - one too many musician ex-boyfriends had made me completely sick of going to a concert each weekend just to help pack up the drum kit.)

Five minutes later, when the bell rang to move on, I felt like we'd barely started talking.
Harrison stood up, pointed to Caroline's table, and said "Well, I think I have to go over there now."
"It was nice to meet you," I said, "I, um..."
"I'm totally putting Yes," said Harrison.
"Oh! Oh, good. So am I, but I wasn't sure if I should- OK then."

Next up I was confronted by an appalling bus driver who would not stop making filthy puns but I didn't care!
I had found my Mutual Yes.

***

At the end of the evening I met up with Caroline as we left the bar.
"How did it go?" she asked.
"Good! I really liked Harrison. The one with the long hair."
Caroline wrinkled her nose. "He looks like he should be wearing a leather jacket and holding a guitar," she said distastefully.
"I know! He's so cute. I think we're going to see each other again."
"You have weird taste."
"I know. I know. How did you go?"
"Actually," she said, staring dreamily into the distance, "I met the most lovely guy... he's a truck driver. He's taking me up to Hamilton tonight!"

(The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow are written by Ally Mullord, visit her blog- Today is my Birthday!)
(Illustration by Sally Shand)

I'm baaaack!

2011-06-28T15:28:00.000+12:00

Things have been a little different around these ways for a wee while while I (Ginny) was on maternity leave. That's right we have a new addition to the Swonderful team~ introducing Heidi Louisiana June, the smallest, cutest, brightest spark around these parts.

Heidi Lou is now 3 months old & I have returned to work so expect to see some more regular blogging! More changes are afoot too- we also have a new Brand Manager- the wonderful Sally Shand of Ragdoll Illustrations has joined the team & we're so pleased to have her.
Here's to many more good things to come!

Workroom Sale and Market Day!

2011-06-17T17:17:00.000+12:00

It's never happened before & will probably never be repeated... We are having a major workroom clear out & you're invited!! For one day only we will open our workroom doors to the public- come get your fix of bargains galore from Papercup- tees, frocks, skirts & fabric- you name it! All heavily reduced for just one day. Up for grabs are one offs & samples- things you've never seen before!

We've also invited our buddies to join the madness- Love Love Lorelei, Ragdoll Illustrations & Free Range Baby. So expect to see loads of fantastic locally made products all at great prices.

Oh & cupcakes! Lots of cupcakes!!

Next Saturday 25 June
Unit 10/369 Adelaide Road, Newtown
12- 4PM ONLY
Cash & Eftpos accepted

SEE YOU THERE!

Her Funny Face

2011-05-04T13:00:00.000+12:00

Today marks a great day in history! On this day in 1929 Audrey Hepburn was born... What an amazing woman she was, a film & fashion icon that will never be forgotten. Our S'wonderful muse.

We love you Audrey!

Alphaville video!

2011-03-24T17:32:00.000+13:00

When we were shooting the new lookbook our swell & talented friend Micah came along for the ride & made us this super video! We love it!! It really captures the mood of the shoot & the fun we had putting the collection together. We hope you love it as much as we do! Thanks Micah!!

Papercup - Alphaville - Winter 2011 from Micah Sargisson on Vimeo.

The cute music is Francois Hardy- Je suis d'accord X

The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow Part III

2011-03-12T17:47:00.001+13:00

(Audrey wears Papercup Horsey tee & polka shorts)

When I woke up, undignified and still a bit woozy, Caroline was bending over and peering into my face in a concerned fashion. "I'm so sorry! I tripped into the bush and I just kind of kept hitting the ball and- are you OK?"

My glasses had flown off into the undergrowth and I was going to be sporting an attractive rhino-like bump for the next few days, but there was no permanent damage... except, perhaps, to my heart. I sat up cautiously and looked around for my attractive rescuer, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Who was that?" I asked Caroline. "The guy who caught me?"

"Henry? I knew there was a reason I invited him to things."

"Where did he go?" I was mildly irritated that the mysterious Henry hadn't stuck around to make sure I wasn't dead.

Caroline shrugged. "He had a rehearsal, I think? He said he hoped you were OK, though."

She wandered off to refill our glasses, leaving me to ask, "Rehearsal? What rehearsal?" and sulk about the lack of grand romantic gestures. He hoped I was OK? Hmph. I had a final ill-advised cucumber sandwich and then I went home.

***

A couple of days later Caroline rang asking if I wanted to go for a run along the waterfront. After some negotiation on my part we decided to go for a sedate walk, followed by an equally sedate coffee.

I have the best intentions when it comes to running but it's just so much effort! Not to mention somewhat disorienting with glasses on - everything in front of you is in stunning high-definition, but there's a disconcerting peripheral blur of feet. More importantly, I thought we might be dropping in to see the handsome barista at Nikau and in my horsey tee and polka shorts I was looking far too cute to spoil the effect by being all hot and sweaty.

Half an hour later we were wandering along the waterfront, commenting on the Art. I've often thought that had I not chosen to become a teacher I could've been a great modern artist. I would be absolutely fantastic at placing a ceramic banana on a piece of Astroturf and saying something deep about deforestation.

My piece de resistance would be a sculpture of a porpoise made out of plastic bags and stuck on top of a ladder. At the exhibition opening I would deliver a lengthy speech about humanity's impact on nature: "My decision to use supermarket bags in this work," I would say artily, "is an ironic statement about how our desire to save ourselves money is sparking a Countdown for sea life! Also, I have placed the sculpture on a ladder to remind us all that, no matter its aesthetic qualities, art must have a HIGHER PORPOISE!" And then I would laugh uproariously and be kicked out of the Artists Society forever.

As we wandered past a visiting cruise ship I surfaced from my artist daydream to Caroline saying, "...so tomorrow night we thought we might go along?"

Flustered, I blurted out, "Sure! Let's! It sounds great." I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Yay!" said Caroline. "I've always wanted to try speed dating."

I knew I should have been paying attention and not daydreaming about porpoise puns. Speed dating? What on earth does one wear?...

(The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow are written by Ally Mullord, visit her blog- Today is my Birthday!)

Papercup winter 2011

2011-03-03T18:27:00.001+13:00

Ch-ch-check it out! Our new look book is now up on the Papercup blog & facebook!

We think it looks amazing & we're super proud! A huge thanks goes out to all those involved- & special thanks to our mates at Good As Gold for lending us those amazing Melissa shoes.

For more pictures head over to Papercup or our Facebook page x

Happy Valentines!

2011-02-14T14:32:00.000+13:00

What better way to spoil yourself than with some goodies from Swonderful? Don't forget we're still on sale! See you in store XOX

SAAAAAAAAALE!!

2011-02-08T17:16:00.000+13:00

It's Sale time here at Swonderful & we don't do things by halves here... or maybe we do, like half off!! Yup, up to 50% off clothes. Twoot!!

Our webshop will be updated with sale items very soon too, so keep an eye out!

Bird in a Bunny Suit

2011-02-02T17:00:00.000+13:00

A selection of beautiful cards from Auckland based Bayley Collins are now available at Swonderful! Her gorgeous collage illustrations are almost too sweet to give away, in fact we think they're frame worthy!

Available in store for $7.50 each X

The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow Part II

2011-01-28T17:44:00.000+13:00

(Audrey wears Papercup Bonanza dress in peach leopard)

Last weekend my friend Caroline decided to have a garden party because "Audrey, I've always wanted to play croquet."

At the time, it seemed like the most ridiculous excuse for a party I'd ever heard - but then again, at the time I was a little bit grumpy and a little bit tired and very, very hungry. (Do you suffer from 'hanger'? it is 'hungry anger' and it attacks me when I've gone too long without a sandwich. It attacks me, and then I attack the world. Mum has learned to recognise the signs and, when I'm particularly argumentative, will gently offer me a small packet of Tiny Teddies - they are my favourite - before launching into any heated debates.)

So it's understandable that I grumbled and suggested Caroline join a croquet club.
"Stop being such a grump," she said, "it'll be fun!" And before I knew it I'd been tricked into not only attending, but also bringing a batch of scones.

Secretly, I'm not a huge fan of garden parties. I like gardens and I like parties, but put the two together and add in a cluster of people pretending to be in Pride & Prejudice, and it all starts to be a bit much. Also there is never any proper food as everyone in attendance comes over all fairy cakes and cucumber sandwiches (despite the fact that fairy cakes invariably taste like stale sponge and cucumber sandwiches become revolting after sitting out in the sun for five minutes). It was lucky for everyone, I thought, that I was scone-ing.

The day arrived - Saturday afternoon - and, feeling summery, I changed into my Papercup Bonanza dress- pretty and peachy and light, but patterned with just enough leopard print to feel a little bit subversive.

Five minutes later I was ready to go! Unfortunately, the scones weren't. The scones, which were a little low on flour (we'd run out and the dairy just seemed so far away), had fused into one giant scone. Mega-scone! Sconezilla! Whatever I decided to name the scone monstrosity, it was clear that I was either going to have to chop it into little squares or cart it about in a suitcase. By the time I dashed down the front path, headband slightly askew, bag of scone squares in hand, I was flustered and hot and by no means serene enough for a garden party.

When I got there, though, it was lovely.
Caroline had set up an outside table covered in champagne flutes, cupcakes, and crackers and cheese and it looked stunning! I noticed a tray of limp-looking cucumber sandwiches tucked in behind the cupcakes, felt sorry for them and ate one, then instantly regretted it. Yuck.
After offloading the scones and getting a drink I wandered down the other end of the garden, where Caroline was busy directing a game of croquet.
"Audrey!" she said, "Good. You can be on my team. Did you end up making scones?"
The croquet was going swimmingly until the third game, when disaster struck - Caroline, who was trying to line up a particularly difficult shot, lent backwards onto a plant. The plant gave way and Caroline keeled over, waving the mallet as she went, and somehow managed to make contact with the ball, sending it careening wildly into the air and straight at my head!

I took a direct hit to the ear, stumbled backwards, lost my footing, and tumbled to the ground... only instead of hitting the ground, I found myself caught in someone's arms. I looked up to find myself staring into the face of the man who had just caught me. The extremely handsome face of the man who had just caught me.

"Oh, Rhett!" I said, attempting to be alluring despite my possible concussion... and then I passed out.

To Be Continued....

(The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow are written by Ally Mullord, visit her blog- Today is my Birthday!)

Don't look back

2011-01-22T08:00:00.012+13:00

It should come as no surprise that we are fans of Zooey Deschanel. More than just a little bit... We really like her... & of course we really like her musical endeavors with M Ward- She & Him.

She & Him have just realised the new video from their second album Volume II & it's brimming with fantastic-ness! From the fashion, to the dancing to the mid century modern design... Its a bit of us!! Enjoy!

She & Him - Don't Look Back from Merge Records on Vimeo.

The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow Part I

2011-01-21T16:58:00.000+13:00

(Audrey wears Papercup Cabana dress in navy floral)

Allow me to introduce myself! I'm a man of wealth and taste.

That was terrible. I'm sorry. Sorry Mick, sorry Keith, sorry other Rolling Stones members whose names currently escape me - sorry readers. Allow me to introduce myself, properly; I'm a sometime lyric-stealing, twentysomething (the something is, cough, cough, what IS that behind you?) lady who flits between the supermarket, the office, home and the occasional party with all the finesse and organisation skills of a drunken butterfly.

So you're better equipped to imagine my adventures, here's a brief description of me - I have been described by many as a flame-haired goddess; unfortunately I have also been described by some as reminiscent of the teacher from the 'Magic School Bus' books. (What was her name?) Have concluded this is obviously because of the spiralling red hair and boundless enthusiasm, not because of any faint tendencies to madness and magic ability.

(As a side note and further step in the getting-to-know-you process, I should probably let you know that if I could choose a superpower, it would be talking to animals. Not for any wishy-washy Cinderella-type reason, just because it seems more useful than most of the others. Invisibility, for example, doesn't let you talk a flock of pigeons into group dive-bombing the cafe that just overcharged you for burnt French toast.)

But I digress; back to the hair. Most people recognise me by my hair. We (my hair and I) are easily located in a crowd. "We'll meet by Audrey's hair," friends spout at music festivals; "if it's dark, we'll get her to stick a sparkler in it and rotate slowly on the spot like a homing beacon." My hair is lovely and at the same time completely unmanageable, like a puppy or boyfriend, but without the mess of the former or... actually, without the mess of either.

Underneath the hair is the typical Redhead's Pale Skin (from alabaster to lobster in 60 seconds!), sparkly but otherwise unremarkable brown eyes (behind black-rimmed glasses for the safety of other drivers and/or pedestrians), a nose (big enough to prop aforesaid glasses up on, but not so big that it blocks the ventilation hole on a takeaway coffee cup) and a mouth which, thankfully, is not as wide as that of Julia Roberts.

From there down it's all pretty standard-issue body - except of course that said body is lucky enough to be dressed in stunning clothes from Swonderful! Clothes which, for one reason or another, seem to lend themselves to Adventures...

Come back next week to hear more about them!

(The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow are written by Ally Mullord, visit her blog- Today is my Birthday!)

Papercup High Summer

2011-01-21T15:53:00.000+13:00

Here are a few of the limited edition pieces we have in store from Papercup! (All PC pieces are produced in small runs, but these are SUPER exclusive!)

Come visit us in store to see for yourself!

Frankie's online!

2011-01-10T15:25:00.000+13:00

We've just added The Frankie 2011 calendar to our web shop! We ship worldwide for a flat rate, so here's your chance to grab a Frankie calendar while they last... (We hear they're sold out everywhere else!!)

Happy NY!!

2011-01-01T10:30:00.001+13:00

Holiday hours

2010-12-24T22:38:00.002+13:00

Holiday Cheer!

2010-12-24T22:34:00.002+13:00

A big thank you goes out to all of our lovely Swonderful supporters, we couldn't do it without you & we wish you the merriest of all Xmases!! Make it a great one y'all xoxox

So Scrumptious!

2010-12-07T17:12:00.003+13:00

More earrings and accessories from Scrumptious Productions are in the shop now! Check out some of these beauts!

Frankie has landed!!

2010-12-07T17:06:00.003+13:00

The goods from Frankie are finally in store!!
Calenders, diaries, Sweet Treats, Afternoon Tea & the new book- Spaces. We are in love with Spaces, it's a dream come true & so affordable for it's glorious size!

Just good stuff!

2010-11-30T10:22:00.004+13:00

Just Good Stuff is back again this Xmas at Thistle Hall. Last years market was so great, I picked up some great gifts! Check out some of the beautiful things on offer~

Friday 17 December - Wednesday 22 December 2010

12noon – 7.00pm

Opening 6.00pm Thursday 16 December

Thistle Hall Gallery, Upper Cuba Street, Wellington

CASH ONLY

How Swonderful

2010-11-17T09:24:00.002+13:00

The very lovely Kath from the now closed down Skylark boutique & Auckland has just opened a new & very cute shop called Peppin Boutique! It's a designer baby boutique packed full with cute things for your little one & is located in Herne Bay, Auckland. We can't wait to visit!

New from Frankie!

2010-10-29T11:37:00.005+13:00

We're so excited for all the lovely new goodies that Frankie are putting out! Coming sometime in November we will have Frankie Diaries, Calenders & their new "mook" (magazine/ book) Spaces. The all look sooo beautiful!! We can't wait. We'll also have more stock of both the Sweet Treats & Afternoon Tea recipe books. All of these beauts will make great gifts but there won't be much time to think it over as numbers will be strictly limited, don't hesitate folks or you'll regret it! We'll be posting here & on our facebook page as soon as they're in store :)

Xmas postage dates

2010-10-29T10:58:00.002+13:00

Here are the Xmas order cut off dates. You don't want to be caught short if you're ordering online this Xmas... There's nothing worse than not having your pressies on time! :(

P & A

2010-10-29T10:42:00.003+13:00

We've got more stock from Philippa & Alice! We love love love the Ali dress- pictured here in navy & peach silk. Swoon!

New!

2010-10-29T08:00:00.000+13:00

More stock has been added to the online store- including the popular Darlin' dress- now available in peach & navy. Also added are our signature Swellington totes & Bon Voyage totes! With plenty of time to spare for Xmas!

Harry & Misty Pop up!

2010-10-28T16:53:00.003+13:00

If you're a Swonderful girl you'll be very familiar with our friend Harriett Falvey- whose gorgeous designs we stock alongside our own. Harriett & her friend Misty Lang are opening their very own Pop-up store! The store is located at 47 High Street, Canterbury Arcade, Auckland and will run from the 29th October to the 23rd of December. The opening is tomorrow from 4-7 pm. Pop down to the Pop up for bubbles & discounts. What a treat!

Dior dreams

2010-10-28T16:22:00.003+13:00

We've got this fabulous book in our workroom- Dior: A New Look, A New Enterprise (1947-57). It's a never ending source of inspiration. But there's one quote in particular that speaks to our souls- describing the Dior boutique in Paris~

The boutique was a seductive jumble of everything guaranteed to captivate the feminine imagination, a cross between the bric-a-brac of dreams and the corner of a boxroom... In apparent disorder... scarves, dressmaker jewellery, jangling ornaments, bags, gloves, scent, 'little' dresses and knitted sweaters for evening as well as daytime wear are displayed.

This is exactly what Swonderful aims to be! We know we're not quite Dior... but we can dream!

How Swonderful

2010-10-15T11:54:00.002+13:00

I'm up in Auckland at the moment & can't wait to pay another visit to my new favorite shop~ Douglas & Bec! This beautiful little store is located at the end of Ponsonby Road on St Mary's Road in a cute little heritage store. They sell all sorts of gorgeous design goodies, from furniture & home wares to jewellery & other trinkets. They also have the sweetest little West highland terrier in residence. It's worth a visit for some quality dog time at least!

Sarah McNeil

2010-10-11T08:00:00.002+13:00

Is. clever. She draws the sweetest little animals and names her prints things like "Trying to be Happy Most of the Time" :( We love your work Sarah! New prints, postcards, notecards, books & brooches are in the shop now.

Phillipa & Alice

2010-10-08T08:00:00.005+13:00

New at Swonderful is a young label from some very talented graduates~ Philippa & Alice make beautiful, dreamy clothes that we just love! More pieces are due in soon- we can't wait for the navy silk number below!

How Swonderful

2010-10-07T08:00:00.002+13:00

If you pop down to beautiful, sunny, spectacular Island bay on a weekend you'll find the neatest thing~ The Mamachari bicycle workshop- home to a talented couple who are "cycle advocates" they are importers, bike mechanics, bloggers & retailers! Doing up vintage bikes & reselling the beauts while providing a groovy atmosphere & coffee from Cafe Caribe who coincidentally are housed in our old Brooklyn shop :) Joy!

Papercup Lookbook

2010-10-06T08:00:00.000+13:00

The Papercup lookbook is online! How lovely is our model Stacey? Just gorgeous we reckon!!

How Swonderful

2010-10-05T11:41:00.003+13:00

We've been waiting for this day! A Date With Elvis Boutique is up & running! & just look at all the beautiful vintage & replica garments they have to offer...

Here are our picks!

Crystal Craft

2010-09-20T16:25:00.002+12:00

New in the shop this week- Beautiful Crystal Craft necklaces form Skylark boutique. Love! All priced at $69.00.

Also new to us are these super detailed pewter brooches from Cuff hunter. Prices range from $28.00 - $39.00. Necklaces will be in soon too! x

Martha Goes Green

2010-09-13T16:04:00.004+12:00

The absolutely beautiful cookbook Martha Goes Green is back in the shop! We're so pleased to have this lovely book back on our shelves, it sold out earlier (twice!) so do get in quick if you're after a copy.

A little bit about MGG~

With a limitless supply of cookbooks on offer these days and celebrity chefs all the rage, it can be often be a little overwhelming trying to find that perfect cookbook gift or new addition to your kitchen library.
Rosie Percival and Ruth Friedlander are two young food authors bringing the simple approach back to cooking. Together with a few talented friends they’ve created an inspiring, lovingly-crafted cookbook filled with mouth-watering recipes and health conscious ideas certain to put the creativity back into your kitchen.
Martha Goes Green contains over fifty of Rosie and Ruth’s favorite vegetarian recipes; from starters and soups to delicious mains, vegan and gluten free dishes, the budding young chefs dispel all myths that cooking sans meat is either limiting or arduous and instead inspire the inner cook in all of us.
Martha Goes Green is independently published in Melbourne, Australia. It’s printed on recycled paper with vegetable based inks and comes packaged in a unique reusable book bag made from fair-trade organic cotton.
It’s yum to go green!

Sweet darlin'

2010-09-12T09:00:00.000+12:00

New from Papercup's Spring Summer collection~ Wildwood Flower are the gorgeous sweetheart tees. We love these! Available in 3 colours ways they are made from the loveliest soft stretch knit & they look cute with jeans or tucked into a high waist skirt.

<3>

Available in store or online.

Spring it on!

2010-09-11T16:42:00.007+12:00

We're so pleased to be seeing the beginnings of spring here in Wellington! We've had a couple of fantastic days so far. Evenings are beginning to get lighter already, we can't wait for spring flowers, cute little lambs and being able to go bare legged (that might still be a while off!)

With spring in mind we have had a bit of a makeover in the shop, we've mixed things up a bit & got a lovely new (to us) cabinet for all our treasures & trinkets. We also invited our lovely friend Sally Shand of Ragdoll illustrations to jazz up one of our walls. She did a fantastic job, we love our new Squirrel friend! Pop in to see all the new spring loveliness for yourself. More photos here.

Thug Life

2010-09-06T21:49:00.003+12:00

A while back our beautiful mural was painted over, we don't know by whom, or why! We were sad to see it go, but now we've pretty darn pleased with it's replacement! The new addition took 3 lads just 4 or so hours, to design & paint. Very impressive. They even matched the colours to the lovely little houses installed in our side window. Clever chaps! Yes that is a small Japanese band playing on the street there. They dig the new wall too.

www.bmdisyourfriend.com

Sale extended!

2010-08-17T15:10:00.004+12:00

We've extended the sale, just for you! There will be further reductions over the next twelve days & there are samples & more specials in store now :)

How to Wear it

2010-08-12T16:29:00.003+12:00

We've got just a few Rio dresses left in stock & they're reduced to $206.50! Here are our picks on how to rock this gorgeous frock :)

While I was searching for cats eye sunglasses I came across a great New Zealand online store- Rita Sue! Selling vintage inspired clothing & accessories including a fabulous range of swimwear... Love!

Last chance dance

2010-08-12T11:05:00.002+12:00

There's just a few days left of our sale, and as of tomorrow there will be some special samples hitting the racks! Including some styles that never made it- get in store quick for first picks on some Papercup exclusives.

How to Wear it

2010-08-05T15:43:00.002+12:00

Pussy bow blouses made a comeback a while ago & thankfully have stuck around. We're glad as we think they're just the perfect thing to pretty up any outfit. Here's our picks on how to wear the Papercup Texas Confidential blouse. Enjoy!

Bless

2010-08-05T15:34:00.004+12:00

We were pleased as punch to see two of our favorite suppliers get a mention in the latest Frankie magazine. It's so nice to see such talented folk get the recognition they deserve!

Bree Dentice who makes amazing jewellery and Colleen Pugh of Dear Colleen both got very worthy write ups. How S'wonderful!

Chasing Rabbit "Park Bench Lovers" ring by Bree Dentice.

Dear Colleen prints & rosettes.

How to Wear it

2010-08-03T11:59:00.003+12:00

Included in the sale is the gorgeous Bond dress! Now with 30% off- bringing it down from $340.00 to just $238.00! Now you can look this hot, for a great price...!

The Doo Riff dress- featured previously is 30% off too making it $196.00 & The Lapland capelet is 40% off at just $144.00!! x

We are SALE-ing!

2010-08-03T11:21:00.005+12:00

It's Sale o'clock folks! We've got loads of great deals in store- up to 50% off papercup clothing! The online store is also soon to be on sale too!

As usual things won't be sticking around for long at these prices, so get in quick!

How to Wear it

2010-07-21T14:05:00.008+12:00

The Doo Riff dress in Bloody Mary is back in stock! We think this frock is a great solution for school balls, why buy something you'll never wear again? Cocktail dresses are where it's at with formal wear, & here's how we would wear the gorgeous Doo Riff~

Online shop is live!

2010-06-09T16:37:00.002+12:00

The time has come! Our new website & online shop is live! We're so excited- words can't express... Click here to shop Swonderful anytime you like! More products will be made available soon. Happy shopping!!

A date with Elvis

2010-05-13T16:27:00.004+12:00

One of the super talented lasses Petra, from our favorite local haunt Martha's Pantry has been a busy beaver setting up A Date With Elvis- her new online boutique.

A Date with Elvis will be home to reworked vintage and replica garments- specifically 1940's and 50's era. How exciting!! We can't wait to see what wonderful things she has in store.

Stay tuned, the launch is soon! x

sweet treats

2010-05-13T16:19:00.002+12:00

The new Frankie cookbook is here! And boy have they outdone themselves this time~ it's filled to the brim with super sweet looking tasty treats. NOM.

Super Sally

2010-05-05T17:27:00.002+12:00

Have you seen what our friend Sally Shand has been up to on her blog Rag Doll Illustrations? She has painted an amazing mural in Superette's Ponsonby store. It looks so good!! We are jealous & in awe of her amazingness. (is that a word?)

Sally's art prints, cards & journals are all available in the shop btw, so you can have a piece of this action for yourself. We can't wait to see what's next!

Courtney Brims

2010-05-03T14:53:00.001+12:00

New! Amazingly fantastic super awesome cards by Courtney Brims. We love them so much! They're good enough to frame & at $6.50 a pop why wouldn't you? X

clever collab

2010-04-14T10:39:00.003+12:00

A special collaboration we've been working on has just hit the racks!
Check out the bandit prints by Devon Smith at the Papercup blog.

Excitement!!

thank you & good night

2010-03-03T12:46:00.003+13:00

Sale is over & the first drop of winter clothing from our label Papercup has landed! Keep an eye out on the Papercup blog for new photos...

Also the new (and final) issue of World Sweet World is in. We adore the cover illustration by one of our favorite local illustrators Devon Smith. This is one of the best issues yet! It's so sad to see such a beautiful magazine end, but it's for the best possible reason. Pick up your copy in store to find out why! x

IT'S ON!

2010-02-15T22:20:00.001+13:00

Myrtle & Lace

2010-01-25T19:51:00.003+13:00

New in the shop! Beautiful handmade wallets by Myrtle & Lace, lots of lovely fabric combination's including a nautical number which has stolen our hearts. So sweet! At $80 each they are a steal for such beautifully made & gorgeous purses.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T10:51:00.003+13:00

Thanks so much to all our wonderful customers & loyal supporters, it's you guys that make it work! We hope you all are having a great summer (or winter) and have something special planned tonight. I'm off to a fabulous party in the Coromandel. See you soon! X

Oh yeah and...

2009-12-10T07:00:00.001+13:00

Have we mentioned that we've started another blog? It's all about our very own label~ Papercup! If you haven't already had a squiz, pop on over. We'll be posting new styles each week as they make their way into the shop, so keep checking for updates!

More new stuff!

2009-11-30T15:00:00.000+13:00

We have a few new publications in the shop- both the calender & photo book from our most-favorite-ever magazine Frankie! & a new NZ mag called Extra Curricular, pop in to check them out!

2009-11-30T10:51:00.004+13:00

Back in stock are these beautiful prints from Devon Smith, they sold like hot cakes last time! So now we have more & badges too! Priced from only $16 (for an A5 print) They are ridiculously affordable!

Phew!

2009-11-26T22:32:00.006+13:00

We've been absolutely bombarded with new stock this week, So I'll be kind to your poor brains & not post it all at once! First off, we're incredibly proud to introduce you to the new range of amazing things from Chinny Chin Chin in Melbourne~

Bad Taste Ceramic necklaces $99.00 each

The Estate collection dinner plates that celebrate "the schemes"! $50.00 each

Unwritten novels $28.00 each

Unworthy Causes stickers $7.00

Back in!

2009-11-09T16:04:00.004+13:00

Back again in the shop are our infamous pencils-

& lovely handmade accessories from Hokey. X

Our Folk Lover

2009-11-06T11:16:00.002+13:00

New in the shop- 2010 Calenders by My Folk Lover aka Catherine Campbell. These are great Xmas gifts, it can be really hard to find pretty calenders, but we all need them. Priced at $36 they are a lovely gift for Mum's/ girlfriends/ wives... trust us!

Polyester meets acetate

2009-11-04T18:55:00.004+13:00

We're super excited that the Brunettes are playing this Friday with Sarah Blasko.
If there were a facebook quiz called "What super cute NZ band is your shop?" We would definitely get the Brunettes. It's true! Other people think so too!

To get us in the mood here are a couple of my favorite tracks & a beautiful number from Sarah Blasko. Squee!

Iggy and Lou Lou

2009-10-31T23:01:00.003+13:00

New in the shop~ beautiful handmade ceramic pendants from Melbourne based Iggy & Lou Lou. We are in LOVE.
Pop in to see for yourself!

Lots more special Christmas stock orders are starting to arrive... it's so exciting!

They're here!

2009-10-21T11:16:00.003+13:00

Our parliament of owls has arrived!! These wise little fellas usually sell crazy fast, so get in quick to buy your own instant friend!

Made by our lovely pal Olivia from lilysmakebelieve.

Some good shit

2009-10-20T17:03:00.001+13:00

Howdy folks!
This weekend we are super pleased to be involved in something pretty cool- the Good Shit Sale Day at San Francisco bath house.
We will have old stock, new stock, one offs and heaps more, all reduced for one day only. Sweet!
Come along to get some never to be repeated bargains!
Entry is by gold coin donation and gets you in the draw to win an awesome prize pack from all the stores involved.
Squeal! How exciting! We'll be saving our pennies for this fabulous opportunity to get some good shit at great prices!
See you there!

Oui Oui!

2009-10-15T11:00:00.004+13:00

New designs from Oui boutique are in the shop now!

Free Range Baby

2009-10-07T22:38:00.007+13:00

I just haaaad to post these beautiful photos of Vic from Free Range Baby's new collection. The photos and the wee girl in them, are just gorgeous! If you haven't heard of Free Range Baby, you're missing out! Vic is a very talented lass who makes gorgeous clothes, toys & accessories from vintage and recycled fabrics- here in Wellington. We sell her beautiful cranes in the shop (new batch landing tomorrow!)

Photos by Peta Mazey.

Eating Ghosts

2009-10-06T15:49:00.003+13:00

New in the shop are gorgeous prints by Dunedin based artist Devon Smith. The clever folks at Frankie have noticed how talented this lass is too & have done a wee write up on her. Great minds think alike! Small prints (A5) are $16.00 And large (A4) are $32.00 x

We love your blog

2009-10-01T11:22:00.006+13:00

We read a lot of blogs here at the Swonderful headquarters. Some good, some bad and some so darn inspiring we have to blog about them ourselves! Color Me Katie is the kind of blog that puts a smile on your dial. Katie is a photographer living in NY with her boyfriend Matty & their cat Moo. She posts pictures of her work and the escapades she gets up to with her improv group Improv Everywhere. Their latest um, stunt(?) involved 2000 invisible dog leashes... what fun!

And here are some more examples of what Katie & Moo get up to...

Krafty locals

2009-09-29T13:08:00.005+13:00

Brand spanking new in the shop today! Cute as journals from locals- Hotchpotch & Gruelboy. They are hand printed & hand cut on lovely recycled paper in white & kraft. Here are a couple of designs we have in, but there are also more colours in the owl print & a lovely cloud design too. So cute! X

Lula Love

2009-09-18T12:38:00.005+12:00

We love Lula Magazine, it's right up there with Frankie & Peppermint. Unfortunately it can be a little hard to get hold of sometimes, but thanks to their new website you can now get a fix when a physical copy can't be found. Have a look at the sweet films on the website. We love the Miranda July one "Her Eyes are a Blue Million Miles" You'll love it too, and her dress! X

Wonderwall

2009-08-25T11:38:00.003+12:00

We have a new mural!! Our outside wall was looking very lack luster after some meanie tore down our paste up :( But some very clever locals have filled it up once again with magical goodness. We've got monsters vomiting rainbows, cute doggish creatures & a pretty girl on a bike. We LOVE it! Thanks ever so much to BMD, DRYPNZ & Ragdoll. X

(Not so) Dirty Mongrels...

2009-08-17T13:28:00.011+12:00

UPDATE
Fourfontaine have contacted us & wish to rectify the situation by pulling the top & have offered to pay us for units made. They said they outsource most of their designs which unfortunately can result in situations like this. They didn't know this design was ripped off until now. My goal with this post was just for people to know, & it worked! Kudos Fourfontaine & thanks to all our supporters, it really means a lot :)

On Friday night while having dinner with a friend who is also a designer, we were discussing copyright and how there seems to be many fashion houses etc with very similar designs. The next day I was looking at the Fourfontaine website I discovered they've ripped us off! I am still in a state of shock, this plagiarism makes me feel absolutely sick to my stomach. Seriously, can't they get their own ideas? & did they really think no one would notice in a country as small as ours? The worst part of it is, it makes me like our logo less, it has tainted it for me :(

The Fourfontaine top-

Our business card-
Our shop windows-
Our website-
A repeat I designed for the blog background a while back-

You can read more on plagiarism at-
Book by it's cover
You thought we wouldn't notice

SALE TIME!

2009-08-10T17:44:00.003+12:00

Starts this Wednesday, See you there! X

It's back!

2009-07-28T15:40:00.002+12:00

Peppermint magazine issue three is in the shop & once again it doesn't fail to deliver lots of delicious and delightful eco friendly fashion & crafty tips. This issue features interviews with Lisa Gorman & Rhiannon from the super sweet blog Leibermarlene Vintage. We love Peppermint!

I love your shop

2009-07-14T13:50:00.003+12:00

Part of my job description as a shop owner is to "research" other shops, this involves frequently visiting shops (what do they call that...? Oh yeah- shopping) & also researching shops internationally. I came across the Everyday Life Objects pop up shop in Milan through the Selby not long ago...

Love the DIY aesthetic, looks like a great place to hang out & discuss art for an afternoon. X

wonderful wieners

2009-06-29T09:00:00.007+12:00

I just came across the most delightful illustrations from San Francisco based Lab Partners (whose work you may recognise from the shop, we had some beautiful prints a while back).
We here at Swonderful are dog fanciers, so these sausage dog prints definitely tickle our fancy!

We recently revamped our wall outside as sadly our lady of the green wall was in a state of disrepair. So Penny & I spent hours painting a large scale version of a painting a did for the shop last year & pasted it up last week in time for our soirée, what do you think?

As you can see there's a couple of sweet pups on there too! Buster the Boston Terrier & Wesley the Daschund. Our new store mascots!

In other news, the same painting was also the basis for the design of our new website! Yup, a real website! Our online shop is not quite up and running but it will be very soon, so keep checking back. X

Thank you!!

2009-06-28T17:58:00.006+12:00

Our party on Thursday was a huge success! Thanks so much to everybody who came out and to the talented Miss Sally Shand, her lovely boyfriend Ryan~ who prepared all the delicious vegan food (except the cupcakes, that was me & my Mum), Penny, Llewe, Oxford landing wines & Teza tea.

What a great night, we will definitely be hosting more exhibitions so watch this space!

Here are some photos from the night taken by Natelle who makes some of the lovely jewellery we have in the shop. More photos to come soon!

Swonderful

New website!!

Black out!

Absolutely Positively...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

Lookbook is live!

How Nifty!

Finishes tomorrow!

ONCE'IT

WE ARE FOUR!

Last days!

SALE!

Auckland

On the girls this week...

Winter at Swonderful

On the girls this week...

In situ

Workroom sale

On the girls this week...

Guest post

The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow Part IV

I'm baaaack!

Workroom Sale and Market Day!

Her Funny Face

Alphaville video!

The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow Part III

Papercup winter 2011

Happy Valentines!

SAAAAAAAAALE!!

Bird in a Bunny Suit

The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow Part II

Don't look back

The Adventures of Audrey Sparrow Part I

Papercup High Summer

Frankie's online!

Happy NY!!

Holiday hours

Holiday Cheer!

So Scrumptious!

Frankie has landed!!

Just good stuff!

How Swonderful

New from Frankie!

Xmas postage dates

P & A

New!

Harry & Misty Pop up!

Dior dreams

How Swonderful

Sarah McNeil

Phillipa & Alice

How Swonderful

Papercup Lookbook

How Swonderful

Crystal Craft

Martha Goes Green

Sweet darlin'

Spring it on!

Thug Life

Sale extended!

How to Wear it

Last chance dance

How to Wear it

Bless

How to Wear it

We are SALE-ing!

How to Wear it

Online shop is live!

A date with Elvis

sweet treats

Super Sally

Courtney Brims

clever collab

thank you & good night

IT'S ON!

Myrtle & Lace

Happy New Year!

Oh yeah and...

more great reading!

More new stuff!