Little Moose Pangolin Brooch Review

I took a little birthday trip to Whipsnade Zoo this summer, and treated myself to the cutest brooch from the gift shop on the way out. (Yes, I know it was months ago, but somehow this post got lost in my drafts).

Randomly, it was a brooch that had been on my lust list for years.

The Little Moose Pangolin brooch!

They only had a few pieces of Little Moose jewellery to choose from, so finding one I'd admired from afar for many moons was definitely fate. 

I love pangolins and the way they hold their front feet together as if they're nervous to tell you something, so I had to add him to my brooch zoo... And I'm so glad I did.

It's a beautiful dark grey pangolin with a pale grey face, standing in front of a pearl-grey moon. It was handmade in England from four layers of laser-cut perspex, and features plenty of incredibly-detailed etching, and hand-inked facial features. It's such a gorgeous brooch, and the great thing is, it's also really sturdy, and well-made, so I don't see it being easily broken. I'm a walking, talking disaster, and it's survived five months around me without incident so far... Definitely a good sign of quality!

It also comes packaged in a little lilac gift box, so it's perfect for collectors, and would make an ideal Christmas gift for any brooch or animal lover, too. And an even better gift for yourself!

You can buy it direct from Little Moose's website here, where you can currently get 10% off your order if you sign up to their newsletter.

10/10 recommend.

Do you have any Little Moose jewellery in your collection?

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Erstwilder Fleur Harris Brooch Haul

Erstwilder has been killing it with their jewellery collections these last few months, but I'm so behind with actually blogging about the pretty pieces I've been buying from them.

There are a few Erstwilder hauls I want to show you, so today, let's start with the Fleur Harris Woodlands collection which was released in the summer.

The Erstwilder x Fleur Harris Woodlands collaboration features the Australian artist's whimsical woodland animal and nature designs brought to life as brooches, necklaces, earrings, hair clips, and enamel pins, and it's blooming with cottage core vibes.

It's one of my favourite ranges since the last Woodlands collection a couple of years ago, and one I could've happily bought every piece of. Luckily for my bank balance, I managed to limit myself to four.

Here's what I got:

I used to be the proud bunny mama of two big ginger bunnies, so I was naturally drawn to the Dainty Bunny brooch, and knew it had to come live with me. I mean, I've only got one other rabbit brooch in my collection, and they're social creatures, so it would've been cruel not to give it a friend, right? Right! (I love how I justify these things)! Dainty Bunny is the sweetest, most well-dressed bunny in the land, proudly sitting on her haunches, with a glittery white ruff collar around her neck. I love the walnut-brown ripple resin she's made from, and how the swirls of the resin give her a fluffy appearance, to look like real fur. It's available in the UK here.

There was also a second bunny brooch in the Fleur Harris collection, with completely different vibes to the other. The kind that any six-year-old animal-lover would love as much as us animal-loving kids at heart- a delicate white ripple resin Ballerina Bunny! One dressed in a tutu and ballet slippers, and holding a star wand like an Olympic torch! Cutest. Brooch. Ever? I think so! Although, after she arrived, my Mum made me feel childish for buying it, and I wasn't sure it actually went with any of my clothes, so I changed my mind, and decided to resell it. There's no point holding on to a brooch I'd probably never end up wearing. No matter how cute it might be. This one sold out so fast in the UK, but a stockist in Tasmania surprisingly still has some available here.

The next piece I picked out certainly won't be getting resold anytime soon, though. I'm kinda smitten with the tattoo-style Graceful Swallow brooch, and the beautiful teal ripple resin it's made from, which reminds me of light dancing on the sea. It also has a grey ripple-resin face and breast, a little gold beak, and a flush of pink on its cheek. It's such a lovely design, and I love that it looks modern and youthful, instead of like something your Nana might wear, as a lot of bird brooches have a tendency to do. I think it would make a great tattoo, and I'll admit, I'm tempted. Sadly, this brooch sold out quickly from Erstwilder and UK stockists, but it is still for sale from an American stockist here.

My last pick is a little more twee than I'd usually go for, but it was so cute I couldn't say no. I mean, who doesn't love a fuzzy duckling? Now, how about a pair of Well Dressed Ducklings, who've already learnt the difference accessorising can make in turning their feathers from drab to fab, with their fancy pearl necklace, and bow tie? I don't know about you, but I think they're adorable. I bought them with Easter in mind, as their daffodil (ripple resin) colourings will be perfect for spring time outfits, but they' look just as great with autumn colours, too. If you're more of a necklace person, there's also a matching necklace to choose from, and it's still in stock! The brooch is also available from a UK stockist here.

Many of the pieces sold  out within hours, but there are many still available from Erstwilder, and their stockists around the world, so check them out before they're gone.

Did you buy anything from the Fleur Harris collection?

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Erstwilder x Pete Cromer Fairytales Jewellery Haul

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Erstwilder x Pete Cromer Fairytales Jewellery Haul

Once upon a time, in a kingdom long burned to ash, there was a girl who loved fairytales very much. So, when Australian jewellery wizards, Erstwilder, made a bargain to create a fairytale jewellery collection with the happy art creator, Pete Cromer, she could not resist filling her basket with the wondrous resin jewels as if she were gathering food for the winter. Don't judge her; they were spelled to be irrisistable to all who love stories. And the girl lived happily ever after wearing her favourite fairytales on her heart and earlobes for all to see, while she skipped through the forest, waiting to be spirited away by a fae prince with wings and unresolved trauma... Or possibly the therapist she desperately needed...

Or, in English... I splurged on the recent Erstwilder x Pete Cromer Fairytales collaboration, and I'm here to show you the pretty brooches and earrings I bought.

First up is one of my favourites from the collection- the Snow White brooch, White as Snow. I'll admit, while I've always liked the story, Snow White has never really been at the top of my list of favourite fairytales, but I instantly fell in love with this design. Snow's so striking and really draws in the eye with the mix of cobalt blue, turquoise, cherry red, and black ripple and glitter resins. And how cute are her little ice-blue bluebird friends? Great style and animal sidekicks? Not gonna lie, I'm a little jealous. (Find it in the UK here)

Next up is the sold out Wonderland brooch, and it has to be one of the best non-Disney Alice in Wonderland designs I've ever seen! I love that instead of drawing inspiration from over-used scenes like the Mad Hatter's tea party or Alice falling down the rabbit hole in to Wonderland, Cromer thought outside the box and made art of the croquet scene. It shows Alice facing off with a giant pink flamingo, with a little lilac hedgehog in her hand, and a bed of toadstools and flowers on the grass around them. I love the mix of ripple, plain, and textured resins it's made from, especially the swirling pastel pink sky that adds a dreamlike quality, and the interesting dotted sunshine-yellow resin used to give her hair texture. I'm not sure if it's a new resin for Erstwilder, but I haven't seen it used before. It's pretty cool. 

I've never understood how Little Red Riding Hood could ever mistake a wolf for her grandmother- was Little Red visually-challenged or was her Nana just that hairy?!- but okay, I'll admit, this version of the wolf does a good cosplay. The That's Not Grandma brooch is a very convincing human granny in her raspberry-pink and lilac polka dot, scalloped-trimmed nightie and scarlet cat-eye glasses. I mean, you barely even notice the two-toned ripple and bubble resin lilac fur, snout, or tail, do you? Definitely deserves a few points for effort. He's easily my favourite from the collection, along with Snow. (Find it in the UK here)

I always loved the Disney version of Pinocchio growing up, but parts of it also scared the crap out of me. I don't know what's scarier- kids being turned into donkeys, or every lie you tell showing on your face for all to see? *Shudders.* Thankfully, there's nothing scary about the Boys Don't Lie brooch, just a charming wooden boy taking a stroll beside the sea while a whale breaches the waves in the distance. With the wood-effect resin and the moody teals, and olive greens, it has such a nostalgic feel to it, and it's the perfect piece to wear to keep a little of that childhood magic alive. (Find it in the UK here)

I was also lucky enough to receive one of the gift-with-purchase brooches, for buying multiple pieces from the same stockist. For this collection, Erstwilder produced little fairytale books in red, green, and blue, and I received the green. It's a gorgeous sea-green ripple resin tome, with gold detailing, and as a big old bookworm, it's one of my favourite gifts-with-purchase brooches to date. It's perfect for double-brooching with the fairytale brooches, but great on its own, too. I've got a couple of book print dresses it'll go perfectly with.

Alongside the main collection, Erstwilder also brought out a range of complimenting Essentials earrings, which are affordable studs and drop earrings, usually with less detail and layering than those in the main collections. I love wearing them with most of my outfits, so of course, I picked up a couple of pairs to add to my collection.

I was instantly drawn to the Beauty-and-the-Beast-inspired Eternal Rose drop earrings, as not only are they super pretty, but because they're giving off ACOTAR vibes. The red ripple resin they're made of is probably my favourite resin Erstwilder use, and the gold detailing adds a nice contrast. I need to repierce my ear as one of my old piercings keeps closing up, but when I do, I'm gonna wear them with everything. If you're not a red rose fan, they also come in white, and there are studs in both colours, too. (Find them the UK here)

And the other pair of earrings I chose were the pale pink shell studs, as I thought they'd be ideal for pairing with my sealife brooches and for finishing off cute summer outfits, especially on holidays by the sea. They're little scallop shells, made from the prettiest shimmery coral-pink resin, and they're lovely. The shell studs also come in pearly white, and there are drop earring options, too. (Find them in the UK here)

One last thing that I love about this collection is the packaging. Usually, you'll find that jewellery from Erstwilder come in circular boxes, but for this collection, they redesigned them to look like little books! They even made each one a different colour, allowing those who splurge on multiple pieces to create their own little Fairytale bookshelves. How cute is that?!

Most of the Fairytales collection sold out on release day, as Pete Cromer collections usually do, but there are still a handful of pieces and most of the Essentials earrings available to shop from via Erstwilder, and their stockists. I highly recommend them.

Did you buy anything from the Fairytales collection?

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Erstwilder Jewellery Haul

It's been a minute since I last reviewed some Erstwilder jewellery on the blog- it's been a minute since I blogged at all- so I think it's time to rectify that with a look at the latest additions to my brooch zoo.

I haven't actually added many to my collection over the last six months or so. I've either not been wowed enough by the designs to splurge, or when I have, I've not had the pennies to be able to. The last piece I bought was from the Valentine's collection, and it's the only brooch I've bought since the Kutopia collection was released before Christmas. What is happening to me?! 

I might not have bought a lot lately, but the ones I have acquired are ridiculously cute. Especially the first brooch I have to show you, Stevie the Seahorse.

I really loved the Kutopia collection Erstwilder did with the artist Kacey Rainbow at the end of 2023, and as a big animal lover and colour junkie, I couldn't help but be drawn to the colourful animal designs. I could only afford one piece since it came out just before Christmas, so of course, Stevie the Seahorse won. Why? Well, just look at him! He's the cutest seahorse brooch ever!

I love the soft, summery colours he's made from. The glittery coral and bubblegum-pink of his body and spine, and the turquoise of his fin are so pretty, and the rainbow of colours freckling his head and neck add such a fun finishing touch. He'll be perfect for wearing with colourful summer dresses, especially for trips to the seaside or aquarium. Not that I visit either often these days, but it's good to have these things planned out just in case!

I was also lucky enough to be given Warren the Wombat brooch from the Kutopia collection for Christmas from my parents, after pointing them in the right direction when they asked for ideas. My Mum chose well. I have a soft spot for wombats, and this brooch is almost as adorable as the real thing. Almost. (Sorry, Erstwilder, but nothing quite beats a real wombat).

This handsome little guy is made from the sparkliest russet brown resin, with equally sparkly coral-pink ears, peachy cheeks, and a coronet of multi-coloured shapes crowning his head. He's gorgeous, and I love him. I've got so much wear out of him already.

The last brooch I bought was the (now sold-out) Our Deer Sweetheart brooch from the Love Everlasting Valentine's collection. This dainty little deer reminded me of the mid-century-style Bambi deer Christmas decorations I love to collect, so I couldn't resist the chance to own a Bambi deer brooch I could wear all year round. Three months on, I regret nothing. It's one of the loveliest brooches in my collection.

This sweet little deer is made from the prettiest dusky pink and white marbled resins, with a glossy scarlet ripple resin bow around her neck, and five red hearts instead of spots on her flank. She's a small brooch, barely bigger than my thumb, and though she's wonderful at this size, I think they missed something not making her into a statement piece. She'd be perfect if she was just a little bigger.

I was also given a pair of the purple Moon Mirror drop earrings for Christmas from my parents, which are, apparently, the hardest things ever to photograph properly because they're reflective. They're made from light-weight, violet-coloured mirrored-resin, and they're the perfect, affordable statement earrings. They're the biggest earrings I own, and so fun to accessorise with. They're still available from Erstwilder, and some of their stockists, and if purple's not your thing, they come in red and gold, too.

And that is my little Erstwilder jewellery haul.

Have you bought anything from Erstwilder lately?

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Erstwilder My Little Pony Brooches

It's been over seven months since I last reviewed some Erstwilder brooches on the blog, and boy, have I got the best collection to come back with.

The My Little Pony collection!

Or at least, the three brooches I bought from it.

A couple of months ago, Erstwilder released the most amazing fully-licenced My Little Pony collection made up of brooches, necklaces, earrings, enamel pins, and key rings inspired by ten of the original My Little Ponys of the 1980s.

I loved My Little Ponys growing up and played with them often- I clearly remember having a yellow one with a bright blue mane called Tootsie- so I was so excited when Erstwilder first revealed this collection, especially knowing how fantastic their Care Bears collections had been. The only problem was, I could only afford one for myself at first, and since Tootsie wasn't in the collection and I can't remember which others I owned, deciding was a task and a half. It took me hours to narrow down my favourites! Sometimes I wish Erstwilder would make some ugly designs to make choosing easier.

In the end, my first choice from the collection was Minty- a mint green pony with three-leafed-clovers on her hip, a teal-green eye, and a glittery off-white mane and tail accessorised with a spearmint-blue ribbon. I'm a sucker for anything mint-green, so I just couldn't resist her- and who could blame me? She's so pretty! Just look at her! Plus she goes with my My Little Pony smock dress from Truffle Shuffle, so I can enjoy some matchy-matchiness. The first time I wore Minty out of the house, I even got complimented on her by two women while book shopping in Waterstones, so I think that proves she's a winner. Minty appears to be sold out everywhere now, but there is a matching enamel pin still available.

Starshine is a recent addition to my brooch collection, and the first piece I've ever bought directly from Erstwilder in Australia. It sold out from all the UK stockists before I could treat myself and when I was shopping for Care Bears for my sister's birthday, I couldn't resist adding it to my basket. (Apparently, I have no self-control). My order arrived within two weeks, and surprisingly, I didn't get any customs charges! (My sister's friend has in the past, though, so I'm not saying you won't, but on an order of three brooches to England, I didn't. I'm assuming she placed a larger order to have been hit with charges, but I don't know what the actual criteria is for charges on shipping jewellery from Australia to the UK). Whatever the reason, Starshine is such a fun, colourful piece, and with all those colours, it definitely makes my inner-child happy. She's a glossy, off-white pegasus pony, with a teal eye, and best of all, her mane and tail are a bold rainbow of glittery candyfloss pink, sunshine yellow, spring green, and turquoise blue, with a matching turquoise bow knotted in the flowing strands. The colours are so fun and cheerful, and it's impossible not to be happy while wearing it. If brooches aren't your thing or you just like to go with 'more is more', there's also a matching Starshine necklace, and earrings to choose from.

And last but not least we have Applejack- although, I didn't buy this one for myself, but as a birthday present for my older sister. It's a little too orange for my taste, but she's always loved crazy, bold colours, and it was her favourite My Little Pony growing up. Applejack is a glossy, deep-orange-coloured pony with red apples on her flank, and has a glittery daffodil-yellow mane and tail tied with a baby blue bow. As usual, no small detail has been missed, so she also has a green eye, and little white freckles on her cheek. She has such a nostalgic look, and with those bright colours, she's the perfect brooch for anyone who likes their jewellery to make a statement.

Each piece comes presented in a rainbow-striped My Little Pony gift box, which has to be one of their best gift box designs to date. They make the brooches lovely gifts for My Little Pony fans- especially for yourself!

Much of the collection sold out on release day, but there are still several pieces available directly from Erstwilder, and a few knocking about from their UK stockists. Snap them up while you still can!

Were you a My Little Pony fan growing up? Have you bought anything from the Erstwilder MLP collection?

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Erstwilder All Hallows Eve

 I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.

The leaves are changing, it's the perfect time for reading under a cosy blanket, and Erstwilder's Halloween collection is finally here.

This year, they've released a fantastic throwback collection called All Hallows Eve based on the primitive Halloween characters from the turn of the 21st century, following a patchwork and hand-stitched style that was popular at the time. There are skeletons in bowler hats, cats and dogs dressed in sheets, pumpkin-headed witches, and frightful creatures galore.

I only bought one piece from the collection, because, y'know, cost of living and all that, but holy Jason Momoa, did I chose a good one.

Part pumpkin, part witch, I introduce to you The Stitched Witch; quite possibly one of my favourite brooch designs to date. With her black buckled hat and white-collared gown, she makes me think she's a pilgrim pumpkin witch, come to life to curse her pious accusers from the witch trials for stitching her mouth shut and sending her to her death. But maybe I'm just away with the fairies...

I love the textured resins used for this piece. The broom handle looks like it's made of wood, the pumpkin looks almost realistic, and the marbling in the gown gives the impression of flowing fabric. The stitched patch is a cute little addition, too. It's an all-round awesome design, and I'm obsessed with it. I can't stop wearing it.

My only disappointment with this brooch is that the one I received wasn't up to their usual standard of quality. It has at least seven little pin prick marks in the resin, and a raised notch of resin at the bottom of the gown where something must've gone wrong in the production process. (You can't see them clearly in these photos, but they're there). It should clearly have only been sold as a second, and I'm not sure how it slipped through quality control unnoticed. I would never have paid full price for it if I had seen its flaws.

I got in touch with the stockist I purchased it from- Daisy Park- who replied almost straight away and helped resolve the issue quickly, despite being away on holiday. They offered to refund me, but as the brooch was sold out from all the UK stockists and they couldn't offer a replacement, I decided to keep it anyway as I still wanted it in my collection. They kindly offered me a partial refund instead, which was back in my account just moments later. I was really impressed with their level of customer service; it's not something you get too often.

I'm not put off by the lapse in quality; it's the first time I've had an issue with Erstwilder's jewellery in the five or six years I've been collecting them. Mistakes happen, and hopefully it was just a one-off. I've come to live with the brooch's imperfections, just like I've learnt to live with my own. They add character. I don't think they're too noticeable, especially when I'm wearing it- and I've already worn her a lot- except for the notch of resin at the bottom, which I'm trying to pretend is just a crease in her gown from her foot. It kinda looks like one, if you squint.

There are still many pieces available from the All Hallows Eve collection, and they're definitely worth checking out. The Stitched Witch brooch is sadly sold out from all the UK stockists I'm aware of, but it's still available direct from Erstwilder in Australia here, so snap her up while you can. 

Did you buy anything from the All Hallow's Eve collection?

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Erstwilder x The Wizard of Oz

We're off to see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Well, actually I'm here to talk brooches while you read through a screen, but wouldn't it be cool if we could travel somewhere over the rainbow, past the Munchkin City, and along the yellow brick road to the merry old land of Oz? I've always wanted to go, but then again, I'm also put off by the threat of flying monkeys. Maybe Chernobyl would be better?

Anyway, the reason I'm waffling on like a lunatic about a world paved in yellow bricks is that a few weeks ago, Erstwilder released the most amazing licensed Wizard of Oz collection, immortalising one of the world's most beloved films in resin and fabric. There are brooches and necklaces, earrings and scarves, and even enamel pins, and let me tell you, the designs are spectacular. If you're a fan of the movie, do yourself a favour and check them out! 

The Wizard of Oz has been one of my favourite musicals since I was little and it's one I still love to watch every year, so I was naturally super excited by this collection, and it sure didn't disappoint. I could've happily bought the entire collection.

A few of my favourites.

There were several brooches from this collection that particularly captured my heart- the Emerald City, Toto, the Ruby Slippers, the Wicked Witch of the East's dead striped legs- but choosing was hard- I could only afford one piece.  I missed out on my favourite, the Emerald City brooch, because I forgot to set my alarm and it sold out everywhere before morning- as did many of the others- but luckily, I got my hands on my other favourite, the Crystal Ball brooch.

Look how cool it is!

It's a reimagining of the Wicked Witch of the West's crystal ball, which, as you may remember from the movie, she uses to keep a close eye on Dorothy and her friends as they travel to the Emerald City. Guided by the witch's glittery emerald green hand, it features a black silhouette of The Cowardly Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow, Dorothy, and Toto skipping along the yellow brick road in a swirl of iridescent ice and duck egg blues, with subtle hints of gold and amethyst purple mixed in to the resin. The marbled resin is stunning, and stands out beautifully against the glittery teal used for the background, and the brown wood-effect resin chosen for its base. It's such a fun and unique piece of jewellery, and I can't stop wearing it.

My sister likes it so much she's already attempted to steal it from my hands, so I've had to buy her her own for her birthday. It seemed easier than keeping mine under lock and key for the rest of my life. Hers has more purple in the marbled resin, and it's interesting to see how different the cut of the resin can make two brooches of the same design look.

The Crystal ball brooch is still available from Erstwilder, and several of their UK stockists (including Daisy Park, Piccadilly Lily, and Rockamilly), as are many of the other designs from the range, so snap up your favourites while you can. I still have my eye on a few pieces, including the Toto, and Tin Woodman brooches.

I can't leave without taking a moment to point out how pretty the packaging is for this collection. If you're an Erstwilder collector, you'll know that they usually redesign their packaging to compliment their collections, and The Wizard of Oz collection has been given a gorgeous emerald green and gold design, in homage to the Emerald City. I'm a sucker for emerald green, so it gets two thumbs up from me. 

Just like the whole collection and my beautiful brooch.

I can't wait to see what Erstwilder come up with next.

Did you buy anything from the Erstwilder x Wizard of Oz collection? Which piece(s) would you choose?

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Kimchi and Coconut Galaxy Whale Brooch

Back in July, I took a birthday trip to Whipsnade Zoo, and stumbled up on a display of Kimchi and Coconut jewellery in their gift shop.

They had a great selection of sea life-themed designs, and there was one brooch in particular that caught my eye. Their galaxy whale brooch. In the end, I just couldn't leave without it, so I made a cheeky birthday purchase, and left a happy little camper.

Three months on, the whale brooch is still one of my current favourite brooches to accessorize with, so I felt it deserved a quick review on the blog.

The brooch I have to show you is a beautiful humpback whale brooch, with all the charm of a real whale compacted in to a wearable little brooch. I love whales and have always wanted to see one of those gentle giants in real life, so getting to accessorize with a whale brooch is the next best thing until that day (hopefully) comes.

This beautiful creature has been handmade in England from two layers of the dreamiest galaxy-effect acrylic, and the result is mesmerising. The bottom layer is plain black, and the top is a stunning mix of purples and stormy sea blues and greens, topped with flecks of silver glitter, and finished off with some etching. I think it might just be the prettiest whale brooch I've ever seen. I'm a sucker for a galaxy effect. (NB. There was a second whale brooch on display at the zoo, and the colours were much lighter, so be aware that the acrylic will vary from piece to piece due to the unique cut in the acrylic. The lighter one was gorgeous, too, but I personally preferred the darker, stormier look of this one). 

As for size... it's about the length and width of my ring finger, so it's a good sized piece; not too large or too small, but still big enough to make a small statement. It's perfect for wearing at the seaside or on trips to the aquarium... or with just about any outfit, really. It's so lovely, you'll want to wear it with everything. I know I do. 

The whale brooch retails for just £20, which I think is really reasonable for such a beautiful handmade piece- especially brought from a zoo gift shop, where prices are often inflated. I'm so pleased I added it to my brooch zoo, and think it was worth every penny. Having this little guy in my collection makes me happy.

If brooches aren't your thing, there's also a whale necklace, and Kimchi and Coconut have plenty of other brooches, necklaces, and earrings to choose from, too. Aside from their sea animal designs, I particularly love their Australian animal pieces; I have a platypus and a tiger quoll in my brooch collection, and they're amazing. If you like the style of this brooch, I'm sure you'll love their other designs, too, so be sure to check them out!

Do you have any Kimchi and Coconut jewellery in your collection?

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Erstwilder x Pete Cromer Brooch Collection 3.0

About two months and five jewellery collections ago, Erstwilder, surprised us all by releasing its third collection with the Australian artist, Pete Cromer. It had only been a few months since they'd last teamed up for a Christmas collection, so I sure didn't see this one coming. 

The Erstwilder collaborations with Pete Cromer have been some of my favourite collections because his colourful, contemporary designs make the coolest jewellery, and the third range has been no exception. It's easily one of their best collections yet. It's an incredible twenty-five piece collection of brooches, earrings, and cardi-clips, and features many of his Australian animal designs brought to life as wearable art, along with a few other animals from around the world, and some of his adorable Druids, too.

As soon as I saw the live reveal, I fell in love with everything, and seriously considered selling a kidney so I could buy it all. Luckily, for my kidneys, I had a perfectly-timed online bingo win, and was able to buy six of my favourite pieces without losing any vital organs, or feeling too guilty for splurging this time. I love it when things work out! The only hard part was choosing which brooches to buy because each design was incredible, but boy, did I pick some beauties.

Would you like to see what I bought?

Let's start with one of my favourites from the collection- The Quaint Eastern Quoll brooch. I'm sure some of you are wondering what the hell a quoll is. A quoll is a spotted, carnivorous marsupial that looks like a cross between a Tasmanian devil and an Australian possum, and it's super cute. There are six different species, and this brooch is based on the Eastern quoll, which is widespread across Tasmania, and has recently been reintroduced back in to Australia after going extinct in the country in the 1960s. This gorgeous little guy instantly caught my eye, and despite already having a quoll brooch in my collection from another brand, I just couldn't resist adding it to my brooch zoo. It was too pretty to leave behind. I think I'm just a sucker for anything freckled like me! He's made from a stunning textured black and grey resin, with white bubble resin spots across his coat, taupe and caramel accents, and some bubblegum-pink and teal markings to his ear and eye. He's such a little cutie, and probably my favourite piece from the entire collection. I just love this design so much.

There was one brooch that caught my eye simply because of how colourful it was, and that was The Radiant Rainbow Lorikeet brooch. Just like the real Aussie parrots, it's so vibrant and eye-catching, and it's a great statement piece with both colourful and monochrome outfits. I love wearing it with black clothes to make the colours pop. This lovely little lorikeet is made up of about eighteen different colours with a vivid cobalt blue for it's head and an amazing ombre yellow and orange bubble resin for it's body that basically looks like a Tequila Sunrise. It's also decorated with a variety of shapes in Cromer's distinct style, ranging in colour from pink to teal, and it's truly a work of art. The resins Erstwilder used to make it are stunning. 

As a big animal lover, I always find myself drawn to brooches of unusual animals (the weirder the better!) so naturally, The Notorious Numbat brooch was an instant favourite of mine from this collection. If you're not familiar, a numbat is an insectivorous marsupial from Western Australia that kind of looks like a cross between a yellow mongoose and a chipmunk, and it's pretty darn cute. Pete Cromer's numbat design has so much character, and Erstwilder have done a fabulous job of bringing it to life with a mixture of textured and bubble resins in shades of caramel, white, black, mint, and more. I love the monochrome stripes on it's back and leg, and it's unique little zig-zag tail, It's such a great design, and one that will definitely keep people guessing. Fun fact: Notorious isn't the first numbat in my brooch collection; I also have a hot pink numbat brooch from an old Australiana Erstwilder collection, which was one of the first Erstwilder pieces I ever bought! 

Before this collection was released, one of the first brooches that caught my eye in the spoilers was The Rare Red Tail Cockatoo brooch; a black cockatoo that looks like it's going through it's emo phase. It was one of those pieces I instantly knew I'd be buying, even before I'd seen the whole collection. The design is just so unique and striking, and so different to the usual white cockatoo designs. (There was actually a pastel Major Mitchell Cockatoo brooch in this collection, too, which I was so tempted by, but it looked too similar to the Galah brooch I bought from the first collection, so I reluctantly chose a different design instead). Erstwilder spoiled us by releasing this brooch in two sizes; mini and standard, and I stuck to the standard size as sometimes bigger really is better- more space to show off all the incredible details! Details like it's ebony textured-resin face and crest with delicate silver glitter running through it, that's topped with a generous helping of yellow-gold freckles. It's body is a gorgeous marbled navy blue, and it's decorated with little shapes in red, orange, yellow, and black bubble and marbled resins. Who says black and navy have to be boring?

Not all of the designs in the Pete Cromer collection were Australian animal inspired. There were also some creatures from closer to home, like a rabbit, a French bulldog, and  couple of red foxes. With foxes being one of my favourite animals, I've never been able to resist anything fox related, and while I have a few Erstwilder fox brooches in my collection, I just had to have The Footloose Fox brooch in my life, too. (I went for the standard size, but there was also a mini brooch to choose from). It's a beautiful brooch made from orange, black, and white bubble resins, and a mesmerising glittery marbled orange resin for it's body, ear, and eye, which I absolutely love. It's finished off with marbled grey shapes with glitter flecks running through them, a gorgeous marbled red tear drop on it's brush, and a couple of white bubble resin hearts on it's chest and tail. It's one of the most beautiful fox brooches I've ever seen, and I know I'm going to be wearing this one to death for a long time to come.

And the final piece I chose was The Wondrous Wombat. Wombats have always been one of my favourite Aussie animals, and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to add a wombat to my brooch zoo- especially when it was as cute as this one. I mean, just look at that chunky round body, and those gorgeous earthy colours! He's the sweetest little wombat brooch ever. He's been crafted from two shades of coffee coloured bubble resin, with grey bubble and marbled resins for his nose and cheek. and simple black and orange features. I think my favourite parts are the two green leaves on one of his front legs, and the sun-like pattern of mini triangles and concentric semi-circles in burnt orange, peach, brown, and lime on his side. Isn't he beautiful? 

It's been a couple of months since I bought these brooches, but I still love this collection so much. I've been getting so much wear out of them already, and they always make me smile when I catch a glimpse of them pinned to my outfits.

Sadly, (for you, not for Erstwilder and Pete Cromer) many of these brooches sold out on release day because they were unsurprisingly popular, but I've linked to what's still available in the UK above, and there are several other designs still available from Erstwilder and their stockists. If you want to hunt down a sold out piece, try eBay or Erstwilder fan resale sites. I'd still love to get my hands on the emu and cockatiel brooches, and wish I'd bought the fairy wren. 

Did you buy anything from the third Erstwilder x Pete Cromer collection? Which piece is your favourite?

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