light...

Amazing!

full of inspiration for me.

in love

The Method...

After my whirlwind visit to Sydney, I have come back to a more settled approach to my Store and the realisation that I want it to go back to the roots I intended it to be from the beginning.

Always thinking I had to create new, amazing pieces I had got to the point where I was doubting my abilities and did for a while think of stepping away from the whole shop/blogging scene for good.

After a slap in the face from myself and a rummage through my original sketch books I began sewing the other day like I used to...by holding fabric in my hand and going from there. I always find for me this is the best way. Each piece I have made this way has been a best seller. So, at least I know it works.

The cover above is a new one made from this method and I love this. A mixture of beautiful linen, screen printed and paired with white madder stripe in grey, also screen printed.

My love of jewelry has stayed and these wood Ampersands (my all time fave typography) have become brooches and have been getting great responses from people who have purchased saying they get loads of compliments - which is lovely.


I did make this little terracotta bunny brooch too. With his textured tail and heart 'birthmark' he is sooo cute.

This new ring is made of clay and wood and has been hand drawn on in black with a Peony flower.

I have been wearing my own one alot lately.Finally, another new cushion made from the above mentioned technique.

This one sold immediately and I have since added another.

It actually fits a standard pillow insert if it is soft, or a lumbar insert.

The blue ticking on this is heavenly.

If you wish to see more click HERE

So what do you think about my method and the results?

What have you made lately?

Ness xx

Lock Down Results...

Hi!

As promised the results of the 'Lock down' I had recently.

I did mention it wasn't as productive as I had hoped, but I did get a few new things made. Some for the shop, some for me and some things that have nothing to do with being creative

...stuff that just needed doing.

As I was taking shots for some of the Christmas items, I thought I would snip some little pieces of one of our pines and tie it with this gorgeous French ribbon I have. It looked so good against our fireplace in the kitchen that I will have to do a larger one when the time comes.

Anyway.....

I have made 2 of these stockings to start with. The star on them is made with my 100 + year old Belgian linen. I love these and may make some for our own home this year if I get time.

Next up are these clay tags.
Now, these are much larger than the other ones. They measure 6.5cm across and I have used my French text stamp as a background with JOY over the top.
These have not been listed yet...soon though.
They are also available in red. The letters have been hand painted by me.


There is also NOEL.
Now, I did have these and the JOY (in red) listed, but 11 minutes after they went onto the SHOP, they sold...all of them!!!
So now I have to make more.
There will be LOVE as well and they all come in a set of 2. Oh and some Scandinavian ones too!
This is reason I didn't get as much done as I had hoped. I hand embroidered all of this panel...freehand too! No patterns involved here, just made it up as I went along.
As you can see it is a longer lumbar type cover and the ends are in the softest blue linen. It is gorgeous and this shot does not do it justice. I just used a squishy pillow to fill it and it worked well.
Will be listed shortly.

Another made-it-up-as-I-went cover!
And another reason I didn't get as much done that day. This one is also hand embroidered by me. Will be listed shortly too.

I think it looks wonderful in my favourite chair too.

The rest of this cover is a wonderful blue ticking.

So, you see not as much done as I had planned but I was happy with what was achieved. I did make some of my regular covers as well and there is still a new cover which I am almost finished and will show you soon.

I would love to hear what you think as this is a slightly new direction for me and The Shop and it is always great to hear what you all think.

Now I need to attend to my severely sun burnt back/shoulders!!!

Ness xx

back and inspired...

Missed you all =0)

country living

Hi, I have sort of returned ;0)

I just thought I would touch base and say hi and thank you to all of the supportive emails and comments everyone left for me...thanks!

I am still super busy as the Miners Cottage gets done as well as a host of other things. Inspiration has been plenty and I have really enjoyed just playing about with new designs etc for the store as well as working on the Christmas range for this year.

Marley & Lockyer

Here is a sample of some new tags I have just added to the store and if you head there you will see some of the new Christmas range as well. Posting will be here and there for the next few weeks while I get my projects done, but I know you all understand.

You're the best!!

Ness xx

Remembering...

from the depths of my file

Found this photo I took last year of my Irish linen monogrammed pillow case. I love this piece of fabric (it is no longer a pillow case, it ripped) and I remembered how much it inspires me always.

Will this be a creative weekend? hhhmmm!

Hope it is for you =0)

Ness xx

Loving...Wishing...

Not only is this blog my visual journal for projects, homes and beautiful design that I love, but it is also a great place to advertise a wish list of sorts. Great for family wanting to know what to buy me for Birthday, Christmas, Mothers Day etc. It is also a wish list to keep me on track of details I truly love and the following are items I am totally smitten with.

Like this stunning print above from one of my favourite haunts, The Vintage Rose. This has been made and framed to Amanda's design and it is just perfect.

Also from The Vintage Rose are these beautiful wicker hampers. Amanda has just posted these images and I haven't been in to her store for a little while, so I really need to make a trip in there.
It was funny though, I have been on the lookout for something just like this and I was starting to give up on finding anything I really loved...this is it!
Amanda is hosting 'Winter Evening' in her store here in Launceston and is inviting anyone who would like to attend.
Visit The Vintage Rose for more details and to swoon over her store and home.

Then there is this from Whiteport, which I think is the prettiest thing I have seen this week!

Ness xx

A Beautiful Mess!

My Parents arrived today and as always their car was loaded with goodies for us =0)

What you are about to see was just some of what they brought with them. I took these photos while they were bringing it all in from the car!

Some of the ginger jars Mum has picked up for me. There is another 6. I have found no ginger jars lately and my Mum seems to fall over them...and for next to nothing!
Mum also picked up these lovely china balls to go with my collection. They are temporarily in this bowl as they need to have the prices cleaned off them. I cant believe she picked these up for $3.00 ea!
I love this big ginger jar that has a lustre finish on it. The other side has a eucalyptus print in it, but I like the plain side better. That is Masons' space laser in the bottom of the shot if you are wondering.
Mum and Dad picked up two amazing big prints which I am thinking will go above our sofa instead of the willow wreath canvas and some botanical prints, a big zinc pot, lamps, drapes, finials etc...etc...etc. Now I just have to find where to put it all.
What a mess - a beautiful mess!!
Ness xx

Coastal - my way...

via Willow Decor

Right now I am loving this simple coastal style, and I don't love it to the letter though. Just elements of it, thrown in with basic elements from my own style. So I have gone through my files and found some beautiful images that explain what it is I love about this.

Obviously I love the clean, pale base of either white or linen walls and slip covered sofas...

unknown

but also loads of white linens and ticking stripes. I love to mix antique linens with new linens, but they all have to have that clean, unfussy look to them - like above.

via Oliveaux
I still love a little a sophistication thrown in there too and this shot is just beautiful. Botanicals, great lighting and some wood thrown in. It just depends on the space and if it needs darker, smooth wood or scrubby wood - I love either.

Pottery Barn

And of course wicker and sisal mixed with painted white wood. This is what I would like to out into place in our home. Now I am just deciding on what to get rid of and what will work!

A virtual yard sale may be in order!!

Ness xx

I am SO over it...

As much as I adore our home, I am getting to the stage where I am over the decorating in here. Do you ever get this way? This is the longest I have ever not re decorated and I think I have done well, but it doesn't change the fact that I am over it.
Mainly, I am over the kitchen decoration. The pictures etc and the fireplace mantle (see top photo). I am sick of the little Sid Dickens inspired canvases I painted next to the window, the photos in the black frames to the left of the shot, the fact that I haven't had time to paint the chairs and get the dining set finished. I have thinking about this for the last month or so. I don't know if it is the cottage makeover or what, I do know I want to simplify and dare I say be done with the frou frou French side in me...gasp! I know!! I just would like my current style - simplified!

I am also over the colour of my $5.00 sideboard. Since re covering the other sofa, the colour of this matches too much and I don't like matchy things too much. I am thinking of painting it...maybe a soft grey. What do you think? Also the decoration here (although this is an old shot and there are different things on it now) has bored me.
My Mum suggested moving the big clock from above the mantel to here...not sure.

Don't get me wrong, I know this area is a HUGE improvement on what it was (see the before shot above and below when the previous owner was here). I just need a change. I would love to be able to put beadboard everywhere, but it is not going to happen, a repaint is out of the question too. So it is just a cosmetic thing I need.
Our hallway before...eeew!

Maybe I need a huge yard sale to get rid of all of our decorations to make way for new ones =0) and sell some stuff in the Etsy Store...now there is a thought.

Help me through this please!

Ness xx

Must Haves...

Country Living

This is my sort of decorating...different shades of white, hints of blue, green or grey in varying forms, loads of pillows and slipcovers....and heaps of vintage love - mirrors, furniture etc.

I am not one to follow trends, but I love how this style will look great still in 10 years time and not be pigeonholed into any one era. Which also means I can keep digging in markets, garage sales, op shops and the like (which I was doing on the weekend) for treasures to always keep this style fresh to me.

This makes me smile =0)

tinek home

Office spaces that free your mind so you can create without colour 'noise'. A calming space. My own office is filled with not much else but white and hints of neutral colours and I love to be in there sewing away. The only real hits of colour in there is from flowers and the big sycamore tree which I view from through the French door...and I like that. The metal filing drawers are the statement piece here and I am happy to say i am the owner of a much smaller industrial vintage filing cabinet which I picked up on the weekend while digging in an old barn with my Uncle and Auntie...it was great. I cant wait to show you.

Marie Claire
I can never get enough of white dishes, plates, etc. To me, these are sculptural pieces that can be such a finishing touch a room needs. Filled with old linen or ceramic balls, fruit, flowers, candles...etc. Lets not forget blue and white china. I was lucky enough to have my sweet Aunt and Uncle (who I was digging in the barn with for the filling cabinet) give me a lovely blue and white ginger jar to add to my collection today.

Mari Erikson

...and who can forget vintage linens?

These are high on my list of materials to use in a room. re purposing them, like the lift blind I made last week is something I am always doing. You would know I have a thing for pillows/cushions and grain sacks. Vintage linens have so many uses and are only limited to your imagination.

Just a few elements I love.

PS- I have been on a mission lately and have bought quite a few items to fix up...some are hideously ugly and some not so bad, but all in need of a good makeover - and you know how I love a makeover!!

It is my mission this week to take some time for my own projects and do as many of these projects as I can...of course there will be photos =0)

Ness xx

Little Changes To Our Home...

Thought I would show you some small changes I have made around our house spurred on by Tina's fireplace mantel change...I will get to mine in a second. First I wanted to show you this sweet little bird I purchased a while back from The Vintage Rose. I can't bear the thought of caging a bird, so this little one is a nice addition...and he doesn't eat much! I like the key on the cage too which I picked up on a trip to Berry NSW, when we lived on the mainland. Isn't he cute?
My favourite books have been propped up by my lovely find from a trip visiting my Mum and Dad. Now I can see them all in one hit...it never lasts though. I love using them as props about the house in little vignettes.
Our bedroom had some minor changes as well. I had some little European Box plants that needed potting up and had remembered this little pressed tin planter I had. It is now on my drawers beside my bed. At first I wasn't sure about it being here, but I am starting to like it.
These European covers I have always loved. I bought them a long time ago and always wanted the quilt cover to go with it, but could never afford it at the time. When I could, the shop had closed...ah well, at least I have the covers.

I love them with our white linens and the little hint of blue is a nice break between the pale palette.

I have noticed that our Hydrangea 'hedge' out the front has started to look like it is ready for Autumn, so I thought I would cut most of the blooms that were left, and fill our home with the remnants of Summer. Some went in our bathroom in my little grey jug....
...and some in my big grey jug under our chalkboard in the kitchen/dining. You can really see that Autumn has started by the colours in Hydrangeas. I will be sad to see them go again.

Now here is my mantel change, inspired by Tina. I love candles up here in the cooler weather and even though we haven't really hit the cold phase yet, I am enjoying getting things prepared for its arrival.
I bought these burlap bags from Vintage Junky on Etsy and have been meaning to something with them for a while. Well, I put this one onto an old canvas to prop up here on the mantel. I like that it picks up the stone in our fireplace. I also added this little European Box to a white ceramic pot I had which has been sitting on the kitchen window sill...and of course my three tall wooden, whitewashed candlesticks have made an appearance.

The clock had to stay as it is fixed there and I am sure this display will change again soon, but I am happy with it for now. This is the view I have of the mantle while I am chopping up veggies at our center island.

I have loads of projects on the go to show you, some big, some small and I am hoping to get them done very soon so I can show you, but as always I have loads of shop sewing to do, orders to get out, etc, etc.

I hope you like the little changes I have made...for now!

Ness xx