Prepare for a lot of reading and clicking because this post offers a boatload of resources when it comes to Aussie bloggers. I like to talk about things that inspire me, and right now I am feeling some major inspiration coming in from Australian magazines, designers, and blogs. I find it all so interesting as I research what's available there - so much talent - hot, hot, HOT!

Australia, the sixth largest country after Russia, Canada, China, USA, and Brazil, is a country I am eager to someday visit. It's not only large, but from a design standpoint, in charge! From the warmth of its people, the natural beauty that exists there, the architecture, countryside, and my favorite, the modern design, handmade crafts, as well as the gorgeous Aboriginal art... I'm trying to satisfy my desire to travel to this lovely land with a little research and visual comfort from the web.

Thanks to decor8 readers, I not only found a slew of amazing Australian design, but I'm now going to take what I've found on my own, combine it with your advice (from this post), and hopefully give you some great new sites to check out. First, I'll start with Australian bloggers. Isn't that where everyone heads first nowadays when they are trying to research design in a faraway land? Google for design bloggers living there.

Aussie bloggers that I've heard of, read, etc. (not in any particular order):

• Anastasia Christou - Based in Sydney, this mother of two is a wife working part-time in the world of finance and the rest of her days she spends crafting, drawing, blogging, and taking care of her family.

• Anna Spiro is a lady I've grown very fond of her because she has a warm, caring voice and really takes the time to reach out to her fellow bloggers. She also is a shop owner, a stylish designer, and a blogger than brings you into her world and shows you some pretty fantastic finds.

• It's a blog! It's a zine! It's Mix Tape. Editors Justine Telfer and Nichola Prested are super creative ladies and if you don't already know about their handmade zine ($6) than considered yourself informed. The cover this month features the artwork of Lisa Congdon and it's just great.

• Belinda Graham is a mother and a talented writer and web editor for Real Living magazine. She also authors her own blog, Renovate and Decorate, where she talks about all things related to decorating.

• Speaking of Real Living magazine, Deborah Bibby is the editor and through the Real Living blog she takes you behind the scenes which is always a fun read.

• Natalie Walton is yet another Real Living editor with a terrific blog called Daily Imprint. Love it!

• Clair Wayman works as the Melbourne Style Editor for Real Living magazine and, you guessed it, she has an inspiring blog too called Styling With Friends. Love seeing all these editors out there blogging!

• Arthur's Circus - Natalie Jeffcott is a super talented lady, she has quite an eye for beautiful vintage finds that she sells online here and here, and she's a photographer.

• Magic Jelly - Gorgeous blog (love the paper background), she has an etsy store where she offers lots of pretty prints, pocket mirrors, and paper goods.

• My Folk Lover is Melbourne-based Catherine Campbell, an artist/illustrator on etsy whom I'm purchased from in the past and featured here on decor8.

• A lovely ceramicist, Brisbane talent Mel Robson writes feffakookan, a blog about her inspirations and ceramics, everything she makes I want to own - she's some kind of wonderful.

• Hyena In Petticoats - A a fun-loving Adelaide-based bartender with a degree in Art History, this blogger makes adorable things (like these Nongs) and blogs about them along with everything else that pops into her head.

• Loobylu is a living doll... I adore her work and her blog and can't say enough good things about this lady.

• Made It - A blog dedicated to indie design in Australia that has quite a worldwide following and it should, much is covered and there's lots of fun links to click.

• How can I not mention the wonder woman of handmade, Aunty Cookie? I think everyone online knows this lady, at least those who read craft blogs. She's a craft celeb!

• She Sees Red - Musings from Lauren Brown, an illustrator also based in Melbourne... My goodness what a huge blogging community in Melbourne huh? Wonder if they have bloggy meet ups?

• Three Buttons, also from Melbourne. She's another talented lady with her own shop called Sew Your Own.

• Martine Booth is Green Olive who has a love of design, a penchant for all things green in color, and she adores typography.

• Lara authors Kirin Notebook and writes about her life living in Melbourne and the things that inspire her. She sells things that she creates in her online store called Lara Cameron Design. I love her fabric packs - really nice stuff you'll want to get your hands on for creating cool crafty projects.

• The Kaotic Kraft Kuties - A Melbourne-based craft collective founded by artist and Outr? Gallery curator, Gemma Jones.

• Cherryskin - A Melbourne-based crafter who also has is yet another etsy store owner.

• Handmade Life - This blog talks about just that, how to lead a handmade life.

• Another Aussie crafter, Meet Me At Mike's, who has her own online store.

• Beauty Button - More crafts and inspiration from a mother of two.

• Lexy Art - Lexy is a new blogger from the Gold Coast talking about her art and such so please make sure you visit her and give her a little 'new girl on the block' love for me, okay? :)

• Danielle in Bunbury, Western Australia writes Of Paper and Thread and prints her own fabric that she carries in her etsy shop.

• Modamuse - A design and fashion blog that I've been following for over a year at least. It's terrific, I highly suggest checking it out. The authors, Nancy and Jessica Lim , have an online store promoting the work of indie designers in Australia and New Zealand and they co-own Wild Garden.

• Prints Charming blogs and sells bright, colorful fabric. For anyone interested in fabric design, it's especially inspiring to read this blog.

• Hop Skip Jump - Fiona is another crafter that I love, I was lucky enough to grab Juliet, a dolly she made and posted this past October in her etsy store. Not an easy task, her handmade dolls sell the second she posts them. Beautiful work.

• Tabitha Emma - What a beautifully designed blog - wow. Super creative. She even has a Dawanda store and an etsy shop selling her darling goods in all their pastel perfection. Even her talented mom has an etsy store.

• Udder creates 'handmade friends' (softies) so extremely cute that if you have a weak spot for soft toys, you'll fall instantly in love with her work.

• Desire to Inspire - Half of the duo behind this design-focused blog lives in Australia (the other half in Canadian) so it's only fair to include these ladies. I first introduced you to them when they launched over a year ago, their blog is like looking at a design magazine since all the images they source have been seen in the pages of some of your favorite glossies so it's a one stop shop.

• Canberra seems to have a reputation for being 'stale and boring' and blogger Canberra's Got Style is determined to change that reputation for the better through her design and art blog.

• Soozs is a mother and crafter who doesn't believe in sticking to one thing, she enjoys having her hands in many different things at once. Her blog is about fabric, knitting, felt, and all the things that inspire her.

• Hollabee is Bianca van Meeuwen who creates fabric, stationery, homewares, bags and other crafty things in Melbourne, Australia. She sells her hand printed fabrics in her very own online store.

• Sally Morrigan is Georgie Love who promotes the work of others and likes comic books, music, animals, and is a self-confessed Mac geek.

• Little Glowing Lights is based out of Tasmania and what a simple, elegant blog this is. Catherine cooks, crafts, and blogs along with sharing some of her handmade goods over in her etsy store under the same name.

• A Melbourne shop that also blogs is douglas & hope, it's fun to read to see what things they are adding to their shop -- lots of products I've not seen before.

• One Red Robin is a blogger and etsy store owner, another highly skilled crafter. The gorgeous handmade work that comes from Australia is something else. Seeing everything rounded up like this really highlights this fact. Sheesh.

• Two Little Banshees - Kate loves to sew and she's so very good at it. Bags, plushies, they're all right here in her etsy shop.

• Duckcloth is a terrific fabric store with a blog showing lots of clever projects for, you guessed it, fabric!

Factoid: Did you know that the popular craft blog Whip Up was started in Australia? I did not know that, thanks to decor8 reader rooruu for the headsup!

In case I forgot some of your faves... If you have any art, craft, or design-related blogs to add to the mix above, please comment with your favorite Aussie bloggers below. Please don't forget to include their blog address so we can locate them online. Thank you!

Coming soon - more on Australian design!

(images from vogue living aus and bottom image from david capra)