Shoe fans Australia-wide will soon be able to sport a little piece of italy on their tootsies with the launch of Australian-designed, Italian-made footwear label Tom Gunn. Brisbane designers Gabrielle Thompson and Shannon Gunn quit their jobs in 2007 and bought one-way tickets to Italy determined not to come back until they had their first range! Tom Gunn’s Summer 08 collection will be available from September and will retail from $500. For stockist and more info: www.tomgunn.com.au

Susie and Barry are frankie readers (which is nice) and they run a little website called album of the week. They’re music nerds, but not in an off-putting way, and they review albums new and old, each of which can be loved in its own special way. Here’s how they explain their mission: “Each week we feature an album that might make a good friend for you – someone you’ll want to hang out with or maybe be reacquainted with.” And that’s pretty much it. Lo-tech, non-pretentious and friendly writing. Like having a good conversation with a friend who’s more switched on about music than you. Good stuff.

Local Sydney artist Martin Baptist is taking his work from the canvas to the streets, launching his new art and fashion label Harrisson. For the creator and the collector, Harrisson encourages artists to create works ranging from limited edition tees to prints to hand-painted plates – for the enjoyment of those who collect them. Artworks available online at www.harrisson.com.au

Ooooh – this is on our wish list. The STD35 Pinhole Camera Kit promises lots of crafty fun with cardboard and plastic spools then hours of photography on a professional-grade pinhole camera using 35mm film. You literally get to make your own camera. How cool is that?

Yay! We have new tunes on our media player! For the uninitiated, that’s the little tape icon up the top of the page. Just click on it and listen to your heart’s content! This month we’re featuring the very cool sounds of The Do (pronounced ‘dough’ as in ‘do re mi’), a French/Finnish indie pop duo who delight in mixing up rock, hip hop, jazz, be bop and practically any coolness from the last 50 years in music with the possible exception of hair metal. (Give them time.) You can check out more of their musical stylings at filter music and their MySpace site.

Then there’s Margaret Helen King, a Canberra band with a name that sounds like it should belong to an ABC Classic radio presenter, but whose sound rocks just a tiny bit harder than that! Amanda, Cathy, Simon and Nathaniel come armed with pretty four-part harmonies, fun and danceable melodies and generalised cuteness that we are learning to fall in love with. Their MySpace is here.

Last but not least we’ve got Miss Li, a kooky little Swedish slip of a thing with a yummy-sounding sideline in jazzy oompah musical numbers about stealing her best friend’s boyfriend and coming over all funny when you see a hot guy in a bar. We also like her taste in hats and frocks. (What is it about Sweden that produces such radness? Practically everything from there is awesome.) You can have a listen to more here. Hope you like them. And have yourself a nice little weekend.