Category: HARDTOFIND HQ

Together with the support of our amazing customers, we were able to raise enough money to help the team at BlazeAid run a volunteer camp for a week.

The volunteers are currently working in rural areas of Australia, helping local farmers to rebuild fences and structures on their properties which have been damaged or totally destroyed by the bushfires.

Photos above show some of the ‘vols’ working tirelessly to rebuild fences and structures.

📸: Monique Satchell/@moniqueliveslife

We thought we’d share this little anecdote from one of the ‘vols’ at BlazeAid – it’s always nice to see where and how the money is being spent…

The pic above is of BlazeAid ‘vol’ Shane’s wife chipping in while at a caravan park in Bright. No jokes, that’s the email from Shane (below) on the laptop on the left…

📸: Shane O’Loughlin

“So the way it works is that the local council identifies a suitable ‘basecamp’, usually the local showgrounds. BlazeAid instils a co-ordinator at the camp, then the call goes out for the volunteers (‘vols’) to come. They get themselves there and bring their own tent or caravan.

Meals are provided from donated produce, or produce is bought from the donated money if there is not enough. It’s all prepared by Vols.

The Vols are sorted into teams and head out to a property with a ‘combat ready’ trailer. These trailers are bought from donations or sometimes donated entirely and are full of donated equipment or equipment purchased from donated funds.

BlazeAid is acutely aware that dropping 100 Vols in a town to do fencing may take months of work of a local fencing contractor, who may themselves be affected by fire damage, so depending on the situation, sometimes a contractor can be paid. We think that’s only fair, and it still gets the fences done. BlazeAid has assessors to check this out, so that integrity of donated funds is maintained. Usually, property owners pay for their own materials, but sometimes donated material is used and sometimes BlazeAid funds materials. This all depends on many factors which is why the assessors have a role. Again, the are trusted volunteers who know and breathe the philosophy of BlazeAid.

Only one person in the whole organisation gets paid, and her wage is actually sponsored by another business (she works 12-18 hours a day). The rest of us are pure volunteer. Even Kev and Rhonda (the founders) are entirely Vol and still have to run their own sheep farm.

BlazeAid has become a large volunteer organisation, but you’ll find its full of farmers and family just lending a hand. You won’t find a glitzy head office or fancy branding or advertising everywhere.

Thanks again and I can assure you that your generous donation will not be consumed by bureaucracy, red tape, executive bonuses and the like.”

Shane O’Loughlin
on Behalf of BlazeAid

📸: Monique Satchell/@moniqueliveslife

PS. You can donate to BlazeAid directly here.

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Mention hardtofind to someone new and they’ll probably come back with this: ‘Oh, I’ve seen your little booklets in magazines!’ Yep, we’ve created made mini catalogues for every season and special occasion – but the jewel in our catalogue crown is always the Christmas edition.

And the 2018 Chrissie catalogue is a real beauty (you can totally judge this book by it’s cover – it’s amazing). Jam-packed with gift ideas for everyone on your list, from your impossibly practical hubby to your fusspot teen, this year’s Christmas catalogue will make you more popular than Santa come December 25.

Want a glimpse at how that gorgeous cover image comes to life? We went behind the scenes with our graphic designer-slash-stylist extraordinaire, Georgia, and photographer, Nigel, to see how they got the perfect shot. Hint: There’s a lot of painting props, a lot of moving things around and a lot of um-ing, ah-ing and yeah-nah-ing…

Check out our behind-the-scenes pics below!

 

Haven’t got your mitts on a copy yet? You can shop the whole Christmas catalogue right here.

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

This year, hardtofind turns 10! And to celebrate we’re eating our weight in birthday cake and party pies. But we’re also taking a trip down memory lane and recapping some of our top products from the last 10 years. After a decade of supporting small, creative businesses, founder Eri has seen some pretty awesome things pass through hardtofind HQ – here are her top 10 favourite ever finds…

 

1. ‘My Dad’ Personalised Book for Fathers

“My youngest daughter asked me to buy this for my husband last year for Christmas. She wrapped it up all by herself and proudly gave it to him on Christmas day. He absolutely loved it, and it’s now the story my daughter chooses most nights to read before bed.”

 

2. Personalised Shooting Stars Ear Climbers

“I have the gold pair of these star ear climbers, and every time I wear them I get so many comments! They sit nice and flat against my ear, which I like, and they’ve never tarnished.”

 

3. Personalised Map Location Square

“We have this framed, personalised map in our living room. I chose Italy for the map because I’m half Italian, so Italy is very close to my heart. It’s also where my husband proposed to me! We were able to take the kids to the very spot in Fiesole where he proposed, last year – a very special family holiday.”

 

4. Personalised Grey Kit Bag

“This personalised duffle bag continues to be my go-to buy for blokes. I’ve bought one for my husband, one for my teenage son, and quite a few as birthday presents for my son’s mates.”

 

5. Personalised Script Socks

“I seem to have collected about three pairs of these personalised socks over the years! They are super warm and comfy – perfect for lounging around in – and they make great stocking fillers.”

 

6. Body Surfing Handplane

“The design and craftsmanship of these body surfers is exquisite. I bought one for my son a couple of years ago, and he loves it. My dad has one, too. At our last Christmas market, these handplanes sold out!”

 

7. Personalised Couple Boudoir Cushion Cover

“This personalised cushion sits on our bed at home. The lovely lady who cleans our house once a fortnight fell in love with it, so I bought one for her. Then all her friends started asking her to ask me to buy them one, too! Quite funny – I think I’ve bought four or five of these cushion now…”

 

8. Iconic Treat Sequin Purse

“This sequin purse is one of my favourite products on the site. It reminds me of fairy bread, and of being a kid. For a trip down memory lane, I highly recommend checking out this seller.”

 

9. Tour De France 1950 Print

“We have this framed on our wall at home. My husband loves to cycle, and he loves watching the Tour de France! I’m mad for vintage prints.”

 

10. ‘Super Cool and Fabulistic Sexy Mama’ T-shirt

“I bought myself this T-shirt recently and I love how soft the material is. The slogan says it all, really…”

 

PS. Get to know Eri and meet some of our makers and creators

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Want to know a bit more about the people working behind-the-scenes on your favourite online marketplace (ahem, hardtofind)? Our new ‘Meet the HTF team’ posts are gonna introduce you to the clever clogs bringing you awesome buys around the clock. Stand by…

 

What did you want to be when you grew up? An illustrator for Mambo, sharing a desk with Reg Mombassa!

And now you’re a Curation Manager. What does a Curation Manager do? I scour the Australia and the world for great new sellers, making sure that we have the best of the best on hardtofind… (We do!)

Best part of your job? Working with sellers to get the best out their hardtofind storefront. Also, finding great new brands and seeing our customers love them as much as I do.

Er, not-the-best part of your job? Spending my day looking at amazing products and not being able to buy them all.

What’s your career motto? Never be afraid to try something new. Even if you deviate from your original plan, it is your unique set of skills that really make you stand out.

What advice can you offer someone who wants a job like yours? See above!

 

Time for a quickie…

What’s a nickname someone has given you? Ha, that’s easy. Fordo as bestowed on me by hardtofind founder, Eri.

Emoji that best describes you?  😍

In a movie about your life, who plays you? Toni Collette. I love her!

Ultimate shopping weakness? Homewares of the bright Scandinavian persuasion.

One thing you’ve done that you wish you didn’t? Tried to crack a joke with a security guard at LAX. As I know now, that’s a sure fire way to get taken aside and frisked.

What’s your go-to karaoke jam? Heart – Crazy On You.

Cheese or chocolate? Cheese. It is an everyday essential and weekend dinner staple.

 

PS. Get to know the rest of the HTF team and the stories behind our sellers

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

The live band was playing, the Pimms was flowing and some of our favourite sellers were out in full force at last weekend’s hardtofind market! Thousands of people strolled through the stalls, munched on Brooklyn Boy bagels and enjoyed the lively atmosphere at Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter while they shopped for gifts (some for Chrissy, some for themselves…). We hosted our own little hardtofind Personalisation Station, which showcased some of our coolest personalised products – check out the link at the bottom of this post to see what was on display – and got to meet so many of our lovely customers. In a nutshell: We had a blast!

Browse through some of our favourite happy snaps from the day below – and if you couldn’t make it, that’s cool. You can still shop all the sellers at hardtofind.com.au or get ready for round two, because we’re doing it all again on Sunday, December 17. With even more hardtofind sellers setting up stalls, it’ll be the perfect place to nab any last-minute Christmas pressies. Be there or be missing out on the biggest hardtofind event of 2017!

 

 

If you stopped by our Personalisation Station at the weekend (hi! we liked your taste in markets!) you probably saw, like, at least six things that you wanted to gift/wishlist/treat yo’self. Because we couldn’t personalise the items on the day (a lot were from our fabbo UK sellers), we compiled a neat little collection on the site so that you can shop with the greatest of ease…

 

PS. More of our ace sellers and see you at the December market?

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Want to know a bit more about the people working behind-the-scenes on your favourite online marketplace (ahem, hardtofind)? Our new ‘Meet the HTF team’ posts are gonna introduce you to the clever clogs bringing you awesome buys around the clock. Stand by…

 

What did you want to be when you grew up? An actress.

And now you’re the founder of hardtofind. What does a founder do? I started hardtofind eight years ago and, in the early days, I was doing everything from marketing to customer support, signing up new sellers, liaising with our developers, planning the tech roadmap, balancing the books – the list goes on! Now I get to focus on strategy, which I love.

Best part of your job? My team. (They rock!) I also love that we’ve built a platform that helps independent designers and artisans scale their businesses and reach their potential. I’m genuinely passionate about supporting creative enterprise – our sellers are awesome and they never cease to amaze me with their clever product ranges.

Er, not-the-best part of your job? The no-pet rule in our building. That sux.

What’s your career motto? Play your own game.

What advice can you offer someone who wants a job like yours? Be prepared for the roller coaster of years of hard work, late nights, big wins, setbacks, life lessons, excitement, passion, exhilaration and the many other experiences and emotions that come with running your own business. Also, surround yourself with positive people – it makes all the difference.

 

Time for a quickie…

What’s a nickname someone has given you? Eri, Poss and (cringe) Shazza (sorry to all the Shazza’s out there).

Emoji that best describes you? 😏

In a movie about your life, who plays you? Cameron Diaz.

Ultimate shopping weakness? New stuff on hardtofind! I can’t help myself.

One thing you’ve done that you wish you didn’t? I spent most of the ’80s wearing a terry-towelling headband à la Olivia Newton John in Let’s Get Physical. My eldest daughter is named after ONJ (but I don’t regret that!).

What’s your go-to karaoke jam? Angels by Robbie Williams.

Cheese or chocolate? Cheeeeeeese!!!

 

PS. Want to learn more about how Eri created her biz? Check out her interview with Deborah Hutton!

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Want to know a bit more about the people working behind-the-scenes on your favourite online marketplace (ahem, hardtofind)? Our new ‘Meet the HTF team’ posts are gonna introduce you to the clever clogs bringing you awesome buys around the clock. Stand by…

 

What did you want to be when you grew up? This is really boring but… a graphic designer.

And now you’re an Art Director. What does an Art Director do? My role with hardtofind means I’m responsible for the overall visual style of our emails, catalogues, marketing material and website. It’s a hands-on job, so I get to create a lot of the designs myself (in conjunction with our legend of a Junior Designer, Georgia). I also get to direct and style our photoshoots.

Best part of your job? Seeing the finished result of designs or concepts that I’ve been working on (and I’m happy with).

Er, not-the-best part of your job? Working with MailChimp.

What’s your career motto? Work hard, be nice.

What advice can you offer someone who wants a job like yours? Develop a good work ethic, gain relevant work experience and keep pushing your designs until there’s nothing you would change.

 

Time for a quickie…

 What’s a nickname someone has given you? Take any word that rhymes with Lizzy.

Emoji that best describes you? There isn’t a chatting emoji is there? I love a good chat…

 In a movie about your life, who plays you? Zooey Deschanel – we look a little alike and I feel the audience would appreciate that! I also think she’d be the right mixture of creative, friendly and awkward.

Ultimate shopping weakness? Gifts. I have a problem. I also love wrapping paper, ribbons, tape, gift cards…

One thing you’ve done that you wish you didn’t? Piercing my belly button back in the ’90s. Two pregnancies later… 😬

 What’s your go-to karaoke jam? Something from The Wiggles because I know all the words. They’re seared into my memory for life, thanks kids.

 Cheese or chocolate? Chocolate. With roasted nuts.

 

PS. Meet the rest of the team and check out Lizzy in action!

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Want to know a bit more about the people working behind-the-scenes on your favourite shopping site (ahem, hardtofind)? Our new ‘Meet the HTF team’ posts are gonna introduce you to the clever clogs bringing you awesome buys around the clock. Stand by…

 

What did you want to be when you grew up? A florist!

And now you’re a Seller Production Manager. What does a Seller Production Manager do? I look after all of our lovely sellers, which could be anything from approving new products, helping with product uploads, guiding them through setting up a new storefront and keeping them up to date with the latest news from hardtofind HQ!

Best part of your job? Working with a bunch of super-inspiring and creative people, and also getting to know the stories behind all of our amazing sellers. (Oh, and being able to do Pilates at the office before work every Thursday morning!)

Er, not-the-best part of your job? Working for an online shopping website, there is always the temptation to spend all of my money on the beautiful products I’m exposed to every day! Safe to say my hardtofind wish list is about 10 pages long…

What’s your career motto? Work hard and be nice to people.

What advice can you offer someone who wants a job like yours? Work experience or interning! I wish I had done more while I was at university. It’s such a great way to get your foot in the door and learn about the industry you want to work in.

 

Time for a quickie…

 What’s a nickname someone has given you? Erin, our Marketing Manager has given me the nickname Sez, which has stuck in the office!

Emoji that best describes you?  😍

In a movie about your life, who plays you? Leighton Meester – Gossip Girl is one of my ultimate fave TV shows, and I feel like she could channel my inner shopaholic well!

Ultimate shopping weakness? Toiletries. I have to regularly ban myself from stepping into Chemist Warehouse. *Goes in for shower gel, comes out with a full range of new make-up, a nail polish, a ridiculously expensive face serum and two unnecessarily large bottles of conditioner.*

One thing you’ve done that you wish you didn’t? I’ve had some questionable hair cuts/colours over the years, that Facebook memories keep thoughtfully reminding me of…

What’s your go-to karaoke jam? My boyfriend and I once did a rendition of Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King at a wedding where we hardly knew anyone – cringe!

Cheese or chocolate? Cheese! Although I do love the new M&Ms chocolate… yum!

 

PS. Meet the rest of the team and get to know our sellers!

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Want to know a bit more about the people working behind-the-scenes on your favourite shopping site (ahem, hardtofind)? Our new ‘Meet the HTF team’ posts are gonna introduce you to the clever clogs bringing you awesome buys around the clock. Stand by…

 

What did you want to be when you grew up? That chick who worked on Getaway. Didn’t everyone?

And now you’re a graphic designer. What does a graphic designer do? I work with the team in designing the emails that get sent out to our customers and assist our awesome creative director, Lizzy, with catalogue shoots. Tough gig, right?

Best part of your job? The team – never a bad day in our office!

Er, not-the-best part of your job? Looking at all the new delicious products that come online and having to convince myself that I don’t need them. Sigh!

What’s your career motto? Simple, but significant.

What advice can you offer someone who wants a job like yours? Be open and absorb everything. Surround yourself with positive people.

 

Time for a quickie…

What’s a nickname someone has given you? Sauce head.

Emoji that best describes you? Carrot on Apple iOS 10.3

In a movie about your life, who plays you? Someone hell badass, like Jen Lawrence.

Ultimate shopping weakness? Skincare!

One thing you’ve done that you wish you didn’t? Accept my mother’s Facebook request.

What’s your go-to karaoke jam? Firstly, must be a duet and involve wine(s), but probably Teenage Dirtbag.

Cheese or chocolate? That’s just slack.

 

PS. Meet more of the team and meet our sellers!

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Want to know a bit more about the people working behind-the-scenes on your favourite shopping site (ahem, hardtofind)? Our new ‘Meet the HTF team’ posts are gonna introduce you to the clever clogs bringing you awesome buys around the clock. Stand by…

 

What did you want to be when you grew up? A forensic scientist… until I realised I didn’t like science!

And now you’re a Digital Performance Manager. What does a Digital Performance Manager do? I manage all paid digital activity from strategy to implementation and collab-ing with Eri, Erin and the team on all things marketing. Yes that means I get to work on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Google all day!

Best part of your job? Definitely the on-going learning experiences. The industry is changing so quickly that no one will ever know everything and there are no experts. Here at hardtofind I’m also lucky to be able to learn so much about the creative process from our killer team.

Er, not-the-best part of your job? Getting sprayed with puddle water when walking to and from work… It’s happened to me more than once! The cars are definitely aiming for them.

What’s your career motto? Don’t ignore unexpected opportunities. You never know where these opportunities may lead you.

What advice can you offer someone who wants a job like yours? You must love learning. The digital marketing world is changing so quickly that you either have to learn and adapt or you will get left behind.

Time for a quickie…

What’s a nickname someone has given you? Gidge (one of the hundreds of nicknames my brother has come up with!)

Emoji that best describes you? 😁

In a movie about your life, who plays you? Priyanka Chopra – so much sass!

Ultimate shopping weakness? Dresses are my go to… flowy dresses make me happy.

One thing you’ve done that you wish you didn’t? Dyed my hair black. Morticia, anyone?

What’s your go-to karaoke jam? Areosmith – I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.

Cheese or chocolate? Cheese! Cheese with everything!

 

PS. Meet marketing manager, Erin, and more from HTF HQ.

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Ah, Canada… a beautiful country full of pretty mountainscapes, the bluest lakes your Insta account has ever seen – and an absolutely terrifying population of bears. Well, that’s according to our head of copy, Alice, who was so nervous about hiking in bear country this month, she spent every spare moment leading up to her trip searching ‘bear attacks’ on Google. Excitement much? But our brave traveller recently returned from the Land of Maple in one piece, with a tally of eight bear sightings and more than a few pieces of bear merch in her luggage. Perhaps she’s a convert…

On a scale of one to 10, how nervous were you about the bears?

Eleven. I am scared of dogs off leashes, so put me in the bush with a bunch of wild bears and I was pretty sure things were not going to end well. I read so many articles about what to do if you come across a bear on the hiking trails and the bottom line was: DO NOT RUN OR SQUEAL. That is my natural reaction to everything. That’s when I figured I was doomed.

So, did you have any run-ins?

Let’s just say my first ‘encounter’ was unexpected. I was visiting a friend in Clearwater (that’s proper country Canada, FYI) and her boyfriend was driving us around to see if we could spot a black bear by the side of the road. Before he could finish saying it was the perfect time to see them, a bear ran out into the car and was knocked out cold. Apparently this ‘never happens’, my friend told me. Thankfully, the bear was okay – but that run-in was all the evidence I needed that the Canadian bears were clearly going rogue and they now had a possible vendetta against me. I dialled my attentiveness up to 100 and, in the end, I racked up seven more bear sightings – all from the comfort of my car, with the window up. Thank. Goodness.

They are kinda cute, no?

I will admit that when viewed from a safe distance (and with a can of emergency bear spray in your backpack), they are very beautiful animals. And seeing them roaming around their natural habitat was 👌. My heart may have softened toward them, but my nerves did not. (Especially after seeing a Facebook video of a bear letting itself into someone’s car, super casual.) I won’t be RSVPing ‘yes’ to a teddy bear’s picnic anytime soon…

Now, we have to ask, does a bear shit in the woods?

A lady never tells.

 

Want your own bear encounter? These guys are risk free and won’t involve a 19-hour flight across the Pacific Ocean…

1. Personalised Bear Portrait Family Portrait Print 2. Lucie Kaas Wooden Bear

 

3. Personalised Daddy Bear Apron 4. Grizzly Bear Hot Pot Trivet

 

5. Brown Bear Pencil Case 6. Bear Hug Enamel Mug

 

7. Three White Bears Personalised Cushion 8. Bear Men’s Muscle Tank

 

9. Papa Bear Beer Pint Glass 10. Bear Bottle Opener

 

11. Bear Wall Sticker 12. Mama Bear & Baby Bear Enamel Mugs

 

13. Personalised Bear Christmas Decoration  14. Wooden Geometric Bear Brooch

 

15. Mama Bear Jumper 16. Don’t Poke The Bear Print

 

PS. If this post has given you the travel bug and more local holidays.

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Want to know a bit more about the people working behind-the-scenes on your favourite shopping site (ahem, hardtofind)? Our new ‘Meet the HTF team’ posts are gonna introduce you to the clever clogs bringing you awesome buys around the clock. Stand by…

 

What did you want to be when you grew up? A nurse! How times have changed.

And now you’re a Marketing Manager. What does a Marketing Manager do? I run in-house marketing for our awesome sellers, manage external marketing campaigns (like our nifty little catalogues), as well as working closely with Erica and the rest of the team on new, creative marketing concepts. Just to name a few…

Best part of your job? The hilarious and super-talented team (and being able to dress as casually as I like).

Er, not-the-best part of your job? The sponge in the shared kitchen – rank.

What’s your career motto? “Done is better than perfect.” Oh and I read a great one on Insta the other day: “One day, or day one – you decide.” Punchy right?

What advice can you offer someone who wants a job like yours? Intern at a place where you want to work – connections will be your best ally when job hunting.

Time for a quickie…

What’s a nickname someone has given you? Chicky (thanks, Mum and Dad!).

Emoji that best describes you?  😜

In a movie about your life, who plays you? Reese Witherspoon – I love her energy! She’s just released her own clothing line. Oh, and her performance in Legally Blonde?! Outstanding. Or Margot Robbie, also love her.

Ultimate shopping weakness? Bikinis and shoes.

One thing you’ve done that you wish you didn’t? Rock a My Chemical Romance band tee for most of year 9.

What’s your go-to karaoke jam? Celine Dion – It’s All Coming Back To Me Now.

Cheese or chocolate? Cheese, always.

 

PS. Meet our sellers and more from HTF HQ.

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Want to know a bit more about the people working behind-the-scenes on your favourite shopping site (ahem, hardtofind)? Our new ‘Meet the HTF team’ posts are gonna introduce you to the clever clogs bringing you awesome buys around the clock. Stand by…

 

What did you want to be when you grew up? Julia Roberts.

And now you’re a Head of Content. What does a Head of Content do? I write hardtofind’s daily emails, social media and blog posts (yes, I’m interviewing myself for this…), as well as anything else that’s required for the business that I like to file under: ‘Important Official Things’.

Best part of your job? Hearing a colleague laughing at something I wrote. (Usually it’s just me laughing at my own jokes.)

Er, not-the-best part of your job? Trying to be creative when I’m under a time crunch or hungry and snackless.

What’s your career motto? The best decision is the one you make.

What advice can you offer someone who wants a job like yours? Read loads of stuff by different people (Buzzfeed! Books! Blogs! Instagram captions!) and don’t stop believing writing.

 

Okay, time for a quickie…

What’s a nickname someone has given you? Big Al – not my favourite.

Emoji that best describes you?  Face With Rolling Eyes on Apple iOS 10.3

In a movie about your life, who plays you? Hilary Duff. I hope it’s a musical!

Ultimate shopping weakness? Frills, metallics and anything pink.

One thing you’ve done that you wish you didn’t? Every tequila shot ever.

What’s your go-to karaoke jam? Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart (for the dramatic “turn around!” moment, obvi).

Cheese or chocolate? Both, please.

 

PS. Meet our sellers and more from HTF HQ.

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

We are all about a themed workday at hardtofind HQ (remember that time we came to the office dressed in our pyjamas?), so when our head of customer service, Marty, offered to make a 19-hour slow-cooked brisket for the team, we declared a Brisket Monday. And it might go down as the GOAT. We came, we worked for eight hours, and in the middle of the day, we feasted on a piece of succulent beef that was at least twice as big as any of our heads.

Because we don’t want you to miss out on the fun (but not enough that we were willing to share our lunch), we hit Marty up for his brisket secrets. Stand by for the exclusive tell-all…

First, is Marty your real name?

It’s Martin.

Whatever. Tell us, when did your brisket cooking begin? Were you a small child from a poor family, cooking brisket and selling it at the neighbourhood market so you could buy seed for your pet birds?

Three years. I started making brisket because I like brisket.

Okay, okay, we know secret recipes are supposed to be secret, but we think secrets are overrated. So, spill! What’s the key to making your brisket taste so bloody good? We bet it’s an exotic South American chilli…

Salt, pepper, garlic and herbs – made into a dry rub. Then cooked on a smoker for 18 hours.

Any tips for first-time brisket makers? After three whole years and countless briskets, you must have plenty of sage wisdom to share…

It’s done when it’s done.

So, it turns out, Marty is a man of not so many words, but great brisket-making abilities… Let’s hear it for Marty. And Brisket Monday.

 

 

In fact, we rate Brisket Monday so hard, we think it deserves its own product line. Here’s what could be coming soon to hardtofind…

 

PS. Set the table and have a drink with your brisket.

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

It all started when hardtofind head-honcho, Eri, came to work still wearing her pyjama top because it was One. Of. Those. Days. Well, it turns out, what’s an embarrassing admission to one person is an awesome idea to another – and so the concept for PJ Day was born. A day when we would all wear our pyjamas to work (yay, for comfort!) and at the same time show our support for some of our favourite sleepwear sellers. Here’s a few of our favourite ‘grams showing what went down (and what we wore) when we ditched proper clothes for a day…

 

Will was working hard – and so were his matching tropical-print PJs.

 

Erin and Giorgii took their meeting to the lounge… where their loungewear was right at home.

 

It was a full team meeting and the dress code was ‘super casual’.

 

Even our customer service team came to work dressed in their bedtime best.

 

Looks like the whole ‘PJs at work’ thing was a bit much for Eri…

 

As seen on Pyjama Day:

 

1. Tropical Punch Men’s PJ Shirt 2. Bubble-o-Bill Pyjama Pants and Tee Set 3. Avalon Striped 3/4 Loungewear Top

4. Classic Mix-and-Match Cami Top 5. Harmony Long PJ Set 6. Darjeeling Kimono

7. Folklore Lounge PJ Set 8. Men’s ‘Ride and Recover’ PJ Set 9. Akira Charcoal Nightshirt

10. Men’s ‘Dream Dad’ PJ Set 11. Harmony PJ Short Set 12. Cristian Men’s Pyjama Set

13. Oliver Men’s Pyjama Set 14. Blue Herringbone PJs 5. Hodson Pyjama and Lounge Pants

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

What does it take to shoot the main image for a hardtofind catalogue?

Specifically, 48 exciting products, seven hours in the studio, two very talented hardtofind designers, one hardworking photographer… and a whole lotta coffee and creativity!

Styling and snapping our Mother’s Day catalogue (circulating now!) was a full-day affair, featuring some of our favourite gifts for mum. Backdrops needed to be hand painted, lighting needed to be perfected and all the starring products needed to be carefully placed in a way that could definitely be described as ‘flatlay goals’. But I think we can all agree the end result was worth it. It might just be us, but ‘spectacular’ is a word that springs to mind…

 

Art director Lizzy puts her flat-lay skills to good use, with a twig of styling greenery.

 

Not your average iPhone selfie, huh, Nigel? #photographerlyfe

 

When one screen just isn’t enough…

 

We wonder if junior designer Georgia folds all her cardigans with this much precision?

 

PS. If you haven’t seen our Mother’s Day catalogue, shop it here. And if you want to learn how to DIY those pretty-as paper flowers, the step-by-step instructions are all here.

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.

Get cosy while keeping your cool

Summer nights are the time for enjoying cool evening breezes, putting on cotton pjs and slipping into crisp, lightweight sheets. Pop on an eye mask and embrace the last of the mild weather with this summer snoozing collection.

1. ‘Ticking stripe’ sheet set (in various colours), from $199
2. Turquoise jumpsuit, $39.98
3. ‘Shut eye’ cashmere sleep mask in grey, $45
4. Bamboo camisole singlet in pink, $29.95
5. ‘Flamingo’ digital-printed purse, $39
6. Small ‘clear apothecary’ candle $35.95

Hardtofind is Australia’s leading online curated marketplace for gifts, fashion and homewares.