Gumnuts are back in fashion!

I read recently that gumnuts used for jewellery and other nickety-nackety-noos are back in fashion. I can't believe it. Oh how the wheel turns. Not long ago I was laughing with some friends about the shop they had in Toorak Road many years ago way back in the early 1980's (that's ancient history to so many).The shop was named Antipodes and it was where I sold my gumnut jewellery. Australiana was hot, hot, hot in those days. Remember fashion icon, Jenny Kee's, mad colourful knits - have a look at her site here - she's back with a vengeance.

The knits were so 'hot' even Lady Di had one

So back to the gumnuts. I had a surfeit of 'sewing machine' leather left over from another 'range' of jewellery (but that's another story) and so I decided to use some of it up by threading gumnuts onto the leather. Of course they were a triumph and sold like hotcakes until one day a client came into the shop and hung one of the well-reported necklaces around her - neck! She loved it until a family of 'animals' popped out of one of the gumnuts landing down her cleavage! Suffice to say that all orders for gumnut jewellery halted! 

The 80's personified - leopard skin, big hair and my gumnuts!

I leafed through my old and yellowing paper clippings until I found a few advertisements of the jewelery. It certainly took me back in time.

Tourism-with-taste shopping - the gumnut necklaces remind the writer of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie!

Not long ago a friend of mine had a 90th birthday (I have written about them here) - and if you tune into ABC Melbourne radio on a Sunday morning you will hear the birthday boy Chuck and his partner John talking about theatre. Well with such a milestone birthday I felt compelled to give Chuck a present even though he had put on his invitation 'No presents please. I don't have that much time left to enjoy them'. (don't you love it!) So I headed off to my local park and collected some Aussie gumnuts (Chuck is American!) And then armed with the glue gun (always such fun) I created this bit of nonsense (better than a card I say). 

I know you said no presents please

But I couldn't come 'alone'

So I've collected 90 gumnuts

To make you feel at 'home'

And just so John doesn't feel left out
I've added a 'double-header'
It's just a way for me to shout
And celebrate your life together

I think I'll put gumnut collecting back on the agenda - after all they're free! And I do so love a bargain!