French Finishes You can Have!!

Yesterday, I received a lovely email from Annette Green who is an extraordinary artist and French paint finisher. Annette specialises in faux finishes and also gild in silver and gold leaf. She sent me through some images of her work and I had to show you, its amazing.I hope you can see this image ok, if not just click on it to enlarge. The panelling is just exquisite and the finish that Annette has applied, just gorgeous. You would swear this was from a Chateau in France!
Annette also sent some images of a Hay Loft that she converted with her Husband into a guest quarters. All of the paint work in here is by Annette.

This stairwell in the loft is so serene and beautiful and the walls look like old plaster just like you would find in France...not plaster board/ drywall!

Annette also finishes furniture and this is the reason I am very interested in Annette's work.

If you would like to contact Annette, you can do so by calling 0424 476 404, or you can email her at markgreen78@gmail.com

Annette is willing to commute for work and is situated in Adelaide right now and will be in Melbourne and Sydney throughout February.

I will be getting some more images from Annette soon and as soon as I do, I will be sure to post them.

Ness xx

Life As A Bird...

despite the horrendous weather on Saturday morning, the days cleared enough for me to pack mason in the car and head to the Niche markets which were held in Launceston for three days. The markets showcase up and coming designers and give shop owners a great opportunity to get their hands on locally made products to sell in their stores...I just go for the shopping!

This particular stall above and belongs to the gorgeous Emma of 'Life As A Bird' Florist. Emma supplied the flowers for the last Wedding I done and her work is just stunning.

These white Peonies were just beautiful.

Emma's Florist business is located in The Vintage Rose, which as you know is my favourite store in Launceston...hands down! Emma has also started a blog which shows some of Em's work and her antics! She is such a sweetie, so head to her blog and tell her I said Hi!

Another amazing talent is Sophie from 'That Vintage'. Her wooden pendant necklaces are my absolute fave and I have just bought some Christmas presents from her this weekend. Sophie's work is in the latest issue of Peppermint Magazine and she is a regular at many markets around town as well as having her designs in nearly every shop I seem to enter these days as well as all over the country and now in NZ too!
You can visit Sophie's online store to view her great jewelry HERE
Some of the other great designers at the market were-
Red Bamboo
Hello Kitty...the best cookies EVER!
Rebecca Roth (my kind of chunky rings!)
Dick & Dora
and many more!
Ness xx

Wrap Up Of The Beach House

house beautiful

Today is the wrap up of my dream beach house and the rest of it isn't too hard to explain. They are restful areas and the decor is according.

This bedroom above is just perfect. Huge bench at the foot of the bed, French Doors, loads of feather filled linens and carrying on from the rest of the house is the beaded white walls, sisal matting and slipcovers.

"Evening Plunge" - Maggie Taylor

I would however want to put this gorgeous art work of a very tranquil lake across from the bed so we could see it when we woke.
Ness Lockyer
The next photos are from a display home and I would love this seating arrangement to go under the art work across from our bed.
Ness Lockyer
The trunk would go great in the boys dorm-style room for their beach gear.
Ness Lockyer
And last, but not least, a simple bathroom (as I wouldn't want to spend all my holiday time scrubbing!!). This one from the display home would be great. A walk in wet room shower, double basins for us all to clamber about and a concealed toilet (you can just see Declan's arm at the end of the basins) along with a set of French doors so you could access the shower with your sandy feet right from the deck would just finish it off nicely.

unknown...sorry
And of course some sun lounges on a huge deck right of the sand, outdoor shower head and quintessential palm tree for that total beach holiday feel. I hope you all enjoyed the tour of the beach home I will never have...unless I win big. Then I will have a party!!

Ness xx

Welcome to my beach house...sort of!

Country Living
Welcome to my beach house...if I had one!
The home we are in at the moment would have to be my dream home, I love it...but if I were going to have a beach house - this is what it would look like. Over the next few days I am going to show you what would make my 'Dream Beach House'. I hope you will join me.
First up is the entry....

Sarah Richardson
As you can see in the first image..it is a double story home to take in maximum views of the beach. So, a lovely white railing with dark wood floors would welcome our guests and some sort of slip covered seating. I would change this particular wall lining to beaded board...in white!

Victoria Hagen

I have always wanted to have an entry with enough space to accommodate a round table to hold a huge urn/vase of flowers...what a gorgeous way to be welcomed!

Elle Decor
The wicker market baskets are a nice touch in an entry to grab as you head on down to the seaside farmers markets for more fresh flowers and produce for dinner....
Kari Herer
...blooms like this are always in abundance to fill your vintage vase etc.

Lexington
A huge mirror, or like here - two, would be a beautiful way to bounce light into the entry from the oceans sparkle.

"Dawn Break" - Dawn Reader
I have read that images of calm water are best for a home as they don't create problems...so, this beautiful calm beach scene on canvas would be a perfect image in my entry.

via Simply Natural Decor

Now, failing a entry big enough to accommodate my round table....a wonderful long console that could hold said vase of fresh market blooms...and plenty of baskets and drawers for keys, flip flops, sarongs and sunglasses - all ready to go!

Tomorrow I will show you my beach house living areas....hope you'll come too!

Ness xx

The New Botanics...

Mia Tarney - White Hydrangea

Are these the new Botanics? Recently I have been on the hunt for some Botanical prints with something a little different to the normal parchment type paper backing and real pressed plant specimen. Don't get me wrong, I think the originals are gorgeous - I just love to take it a step further. The next few images are all fine art images with some of my favourite flowers in them....The 'new' Botanical prints.

This one above would have to be my favourite. Not only is it my favourite flower - its also my favourite coloured one. Mia Tarney is a master at taking a plant and putting it onto canvas so it looks life like. My sort of art.

Michele Mattei - Leuconoe Leuconoe (5893)

This is a photograph which has some gorgeous detailing to it. The series all feature a Butterfly resting on a beautiful flower head. They are just superb!
Kelly Higgs - Grey Heron
This one (sorry it is so small, don't know what happened here) looks to me like an old Botanical...with a twist! I love the fact that the Artist has added beautiful birds to the pots to create an extra dimension to the botanical aspect of the piece. These would look great clustered together on a beaded white wall.

Trisha De Borchgrave - Lavender II
Looks like the real thing..but painted! And not the usual front and centre placement of most botanical prints.
Sophie Coryndon - Tulips
I really like this one as much as the first and it reminds me of the beautiful Tulips my friend gave me a little while ago. This is what they looked like when they started to really open up. Isn't it amazing what nature can produce. She hasn't come up with a shonky colour combo yet!
So, what do you think...'New Botanics' or will we stick with calling them floral paintings?
You can see some more gorgeous art work here.
Ness xx
The reasoning behind this floral inspired post...the sun is actually shining after 36 days of rain!!!

Super Woman...

Well that's how I felt this weekend! Even while nursing the flu and and drowning in a monsoonal down pour, I managed to sew like a woman possessed...or a Super Woman. I have managed to catch up on all of my orders and even make new covers and re fill the store. This one above the Tweet cover is a new one and I am planing to have different colourways in this.
I do love this and my Parents are SO happy to see me finally using some of my art work to put on my covers. This is the Screamer cover and features original art work by moi! I done this while in my senior year at High School and it has been in my folder ever since. There will be some more of my art work to come...stay tuned!

The St Tropez cover will be a limited run, but I think it is so great for the warmer months here in Australia or to remind everyone way above the equator of the lovey Summer you just had.

Oh...GUESS WHAT????

My wonderfully connected Uncle Neil has managed to find me this black Bakelite phone for HERE. Click here to see what I am on about!

I don't know how this Man does it, but he is the ultimate Antiques, bargain shopper. If I had my shop up on the Mainland, I would employ him as one of my buyers...along with my Mum!!
OH, AND....

etsy.com

...look what I found yesterday! Remember I have been after a piece of art work for here, well I seen this last night and Mic said "Just buy it"...now normally you would go (supposed to be me) "OK, buying it now", but I looked at the size and it is really long. The dilemma being - where shall I hang it if I get it...but it says 'Ness' in it, how can I let it go? It is too tall to go where I had planned....WHY!!? Why is it when it all seemed to be coming together so perfectly this weekend, that this major find has to throw a spanner in the works? Maybe it's not meant to be.

Any way, I would love to hear what you think of the new covers and I will shut up now!

Ness xx

Loving...blue & white anything!

via porchlight interiors
Anything to do with a blue and white scheme has me captivated. The colour combo is so fresh and seeing that we here in Australia have just started Spring, I thought some blue and white fancy was in order. This first image above shows how well these two work together to create a fresh interior, especially when teamed with wicker and dark wood....my faves!

hound hill design
Which brings me to other blue and white items I love to feature in a room...especially the Ginger Jar!! I am more taken with the patterning like the ones above over the Chinese images you can find quite easily. I think this is why I am having such a hard time tracking them down for my collection.
ralph lauren home

Then I spotted this! This gorgeous fabric by the master of blue and white, Ralph Lauren I recently spotted on Anna Spiro's website in her Portfolio on a chair and some cushions she had done. It is the perfect scale (much larger than this shows) and the perfect patterning to remind me of the Ginger Jars I so love. This is the fabric I want to put on the cushions on our sofa against the ticking I showed yesterday.

anne harwell
In the meantime, while I search for more jars, I have just purchased this beautiful print from uber talented artist and blogger Anne Harwell of Annechovie. I can't wait for its arrival.

etsy.com

So, I went on a hunt for prints of blue and white items and found this little print...not quite me, but it is just so sweet. I am sorry I can't remember who the artist was.

room service
As much as I love Ginger jars, I am really not fussy as to what it is, like these little china balls and pots...

victoria hagen interiors
....and I can settle for plates...and Hydrangeas! I just have this long obsession with this combo as much as the white obsession I have. My wish though is to have a collection like...
anna spiro
THIS!

How can you not admire a grouping like that?

Ness xx

Wednesday Wantings...Barbara Carter

all images - Barbara Carter
Today I am loving these gorgeous prints from Etsy artist, Barbara Carter. Her images evoke visions of warm days in Provence and a serious need to check out Lavender fields!!

To see more stunning prints, click HERE

Ness xx

Wednesday Wantings...Janet Hill Studio

images - Janet Hill Studio
I have fallen in love with the beautiful art work from Janet Hill Studio.
Most of her images are prints of her original oil paintings and are pictures of beautiful interiors, little cake shops and some lovely outdoor soirees.
They are well priced too! Click HERE to see for yourself.
Ness xx

Hope the bunny is nice...

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend with your Families. We are having a Family dinner tonight and will be pottering about home over the long weekend. I thought I would post a canvas I done for one of my Nieces a few years ago seeing it has a bunny on it...hope he is good to you all. Ness xx

Inspired by Glover...

As I usually talk about interiors, you may not care about this post, but I am totally inspired. We had a fantastic weekend. Bought our new handles for the doors, went to the Homespun markets, went to Evandale Markets (and it was packed), and Mic took me to The Glover Prize. This year it was amazing, last year there was a lot of 'what were the Judges thinking' finalists', but this year there wasn't many of those at all. I thought I would share with you some of my favourites from Australia's richest Landscape Art Prize......

Noah's World- Michaye Boulter

Oil on Linen 130cm x 190cm

This is amazing...while Declan and I were standing in front of this, staring at the detail in the waves, they looked like they were moving. Even the detail on the boy is stunning...and those clouds!

The Ever Present Origin - Lisa Falk
Art Raga and Yoga Pencil on Cotton Rag Paper 57cm x 72cm
This one is in my favourite medium...pencil. I truly looked like a photograph. I can appreciate the amount of work that went into this $16,990.00 piece.


Matthew Armstrong - Transformed At Night
Oil On Canvas 122cm x 122cm
This is this years winner of $30,000.00 and a $5,000.00 bronze statuette of Glover himself. A Hobart street at dusk after a rain shower. Great detail!


Stephanie Tabram - Ranalagh Twilight-The Jam Factory

Acrylic on Linen 152cm x 152cm

This is my favourite...hands down!!! My favourite paint medium too. The overall look of this piece is beautiful. The photo doesn't do it justice, but it is another that could be a photo. In the homestead, there is detail in the window - faded lights from another room- and grass in the field that you can make out if you are close. Then you step back and it all comes together. The clouds are stunning. I have a thing for clouds.

Anyway....I LOVED it. Our weekend was great. I got to paint a little table I have wanted to do for a while. We took the kids to the beach two days in a row and found a million crabs for their buckets, had a family BBQ, and generally had a great long weekend.

Ness xx