I am so excited to be sharing these brooches from a recent Daisy Jean Designs collection! Inspired by her Kiwi partner, owner and designer Missi has crafted a range around some stunning native New Zealand flora and fauna. You can purchase any of these beauties directly from the Daisy Jean website, or if you’re a New Zealand native (like these brooches!) you’ll be pleased to know you can shop local with 19 Black who have all designs in stock. Read on to find out more about my favourites!

Kakapo brooch

How majestic is the Kakapo brooch?! This cheeky fellow has so much detail and his big statement size means he nearly fills the brooch box! From his marbled plumage in the perfect shade of kakapo green, to his intricately hand-finished facial features and feather details, this is one brilliant bird. The kakapo is a large flightless parrot and because it can’t get away from predators easily it means it’s sadly endangered, so if you get to see one in person then you’re very lucky! You might also notice that the kakapo has a very owl-like face, hence it’s scientific name ‘owl parrot’!

Kowhai flower brooch

It’s no secret that yellow is my favourite colour, so it’s hard not to smile when I see the kowhai trees around our neighbourhood bursting into bloom! The beautiful Kowhai brooch faithfully depicts these stunning flowers, with their bright yellow hanging petals. The kowhai is the unofficial national flower of New Zealand, and regularly gets depicted in artworks and on our postage stamps. Growing in a variety of habitats, this is one tough tree that’s also really useful; its petals are used to make yellow dye and its bark can be used to treat a range of ailments.

Kereru brooch

One of the most adorable birds in the bush (after the kiwi, of course!) is the kereru. The Kereru brooch depicts this elegant bird so well, with his bright teal and purple plumage and adorably chubby bod! Kereru directly translates to ‘wood pigeon’, so you’ll find these guys in the forest and bush. You’ll know them by their soft ‘coo’, the big ‘woosh’ of their wings, and maybe even a crash as they’re not very graceful when landing!

Thank you so much to Missi from Daisy Jean for this collab and knowing that I’d love her classic Kiwi brooches! Check out the latest Daisy Jean designs by following them on Facebook and Instagram. And of course thank you to @cmjsnz for these pictures taken in St Kevin’s Arcade. Let me know your Kiwi favourites in the comments!

Miss Hero Holliday

xo