The Curious Kookaburra has come to Keen Street.

Filled with everything hand-made by local craftspeople, the new shop is a wonderland of interesting and beautiful objects, curated and sold by shop owner Rebecca Ryan. There’s ceramic earrings, pouches, candles, body products, art and so much more.

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Rebecca has a love of vintage fabrics and she sews them into new objects like bags and homewares, which she also has for sale in the shop. 

“I love repurposing old fabrics, doilies, tea towels and table clothes,” Rebecca said. “Opening the shop has inspired me to sew again and I’m sewing fabric journal covers from salvaged pieces of embroidery now.

Rebecca started sewing when she was five years old, after her mum – a textiles teacher - taught her to sew.

“One day about 15 years ago, a friend brought home some upholstery samples and said what can we do with this?” she said. “So, I got an old sewing machine and started making bags for friends.

“I love using vintage fabrics because every piece has a story and is unique. I have a passion for old things and giving them a twist and honouring the fact someone has created this and it has taken them a long time.”

While this is her first shop, Rebecca has been selling her wares online for a long time through her business Bec’s Bespoke.

“I only ever sold them through Facebook and Instagram but when I thought about the doing markets this year and the vintage market wasn’t on anymore, I thought why not open a shop?” she said.

The street front shop is located right in the CBD, next to The Professionals Real Estate on Keen Street.

Rebecca said opening the shop in the lead up to Christmas would give people an opportunity to buy unique gifts for friends and family and she has even established a gift registry at the shop.

“People can make a list of things they like in the shop and their friends can buy them a gift knowing that it will be loved – and personally gift wrapped by me,” she said.

Rebecca said the shop is filled with the hand made crafts and creations of local artists and craftspeople and their goods are stocked exclusively to her shop in Lismore.

“I think supporting local handmade goods is important,” Rebecca said. “Soon I’ll promote the work of the artists on Instagram too.”

She has the ceramics of Dreamboat Creative, with ceramic earrings, broaches, buttons, vases, dishes, incense holders and vegan soaps.

“There’s also candle platforms to complement the Integrity candle range that is hand made in Coraki,” Rebecca said.

“I also have Moonlit Leather wallets, cases, cuffs and tobacco pouches and handmade remedies like balms and hemp soap.”

There’s metal work earrings by Kindred by Mel, art from Steph Bassett, Andamooka’s handmade macrame and handmade wildflower wreaths and Anne’s Green Thumb succulent mason jars and arrangements.

Rebecca also offers her shop as a point of drop off for formal dresses donated to high school students who are financially disadvantaged.

“There’s a woman in Lennox Head who started it up and last week I had 53 formal dresses donated to her arrive here,” she said.

So where did the shop name some from?

“Kookaburras are my spirit bird,” Rebecca said. “The name just appeared and it seemed so right.”

The Curious Kookaburra is open Wednesday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm.

To find out more about Rebecca’s work, visit https://www.instagram.com/becsbespoke/

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