New Designs and an award...

Hope all of you Mummy's had a wonderful Mothers Day with your families. I did and was given some very sweet hand made gifts from the boys, although Mason ate the gift he made for me on Friday...never mind!

I did get some sewing done and remember the vintage linen that I made my roll-up blind with? Well I printed I made some covers out of it for the store.
I tried to use some of the ladder stitch and cut work detailing from the linen and incorporate it into the cover. I also printed my first batch of this new floral design I made. It is based around one of my vintage hankies that was given to me by my late Grandmother. On the linen I just printed it in white off to one side and I think it freshens up the look a little. The backs of these covers is my favourite thick white cotton. I have some more of this linen left and will be making some more things up with it for the shop.

I thought I would give a repeated pattern a go and hand mixed this china blue ink for a white cover with my new floral design on it for my Etsy Store. I love it and it reminds me of a beautiful china plate. The print that is originally on the hankie it came from is very small and petite and I love the scale of this new version of mine and may make some for our sofas. As you can see, it looks so fresh on our newly covered sofas.

By the way, the response from the slipcover post has been wonderful and I have had a lot of requests to cover peoples sofas. I am hoping to do a more detailed post with some easy to follow drawings of how I done it as some of you wanted to try yourself and didn't know where to begin. I will work on the drawings tonight after my bootcamp class.

Oh, I received this Beautiful Blog award from Victoria over at Vintage Girl blog. Thank you so much for this award. I really do appreciate getting these and I know the last few I have been given I haven't posted about, but they were lost in the old computer when it died. Just know I do love them all.

Please stop by Vintage Girl and have a look, I am sure you will enjoy Victoria's blog.

...and don't forget to have a look at my Etsy store and the new covers. Let me know what you think!

Ness xx

A Little Bit Of Hampton's Love...

Architectural Digest
If I could have a home built to my specs with no money spared it would be a Hampton's Style home. Not necessarily in The Hampton's, just with all the gobsmackingly gorgeous style that the design divas that grace this area seem to have running through them.
The neutral pallet awash with white, natural fibres like linen, jute, wicker etc and LOADS of style.

via material girls
I found this shot of above of this wonderful dining room in The Hampton's with a gorgeous blue and white rug, which picks up the blue in the chairs and is reminiscent of that wonderful living room rug in Somethings Gotta Give...and you know I love that!
I think the chandelier, which is encrusted in shells is a wonderfully unexpected addition to the space...the space is so beautiful.

Victoria Hagen
This room just screams Hampton's beach side living!
Victoria Hagen is a master at this and she has nailed this look here. I would love a huge jute rug this size. Ours is good for our room and the function of that space, but I would love it to run to near the edges...next house!
Country Home

This store in The Hampton's is so pretty. Big, blousy vintage florals on the cushion/pillow covers with the stripes look great under that stunning mirror.

Curb Design Network
And how can you not love this!?

The shingles! the doors! The roof lines! Proportions! Pool!.........

You must get why I love this style.

Ness xx

Beautiful dining spaces to share...

traditional home

The fact that so many families don't eat together for at least one meal a day I find very sad. The French have got it right...they always have sit down meals and it is just part of what they do and I love it. I thought some inspirational eating areas would ignite every ones desire to eat like the French, at a set table with their families. Here are some favourites of mine and what you can do to draw everyone in for the elusive family dinner... raphael designs via abt

As you all know, from yesterdays post, I am a fan of flowers. Just filling a jug of blooms from the garden can bring a little cheer to the table. You don't have to go all out to lay the table either, a simple table runner, like this photo, looks stylish...and so, so simple. Even a length of fabric with both edges tucked under can suffice. You don't even have to sew!

traditional home
I am a fan for themes. It can be as easy as a colour theme. Here, blue and white is the star of this setting and I love the fact that they have chosen the blue and white covers and upholstery to tie in with their china. Even the flowers match beautifully. Couldn't you imagine a gorgeous lazy Sunday Summer lunch here?

country living
Do you have an old set of dining chairs that you may be trying to stay clear of at mealtimes? Well, dig out some old pillow cases, fabric, curtains etc that have something interesting on them. It could be the pattern, texture, colour, sentiments or it could be some vintage linen, like here. Take a deep breath, and start cutting. You will be amazed how lovely mismatched chairs can look with some 'new' covers on them.
coastal living
If your still not convinced, and the thought of cutting up Grannies antique French linen sheet set from her Wedding for your chairs makes you cringe...maybe get some paint out instead. These chairs look wonderful in blue against the white table. It can be as easy as getting some sample pots and a weekend...and they don't all have to match in colour either.

coastal living
...or you could just cover the tops! This can be done with pillow cases, so you don't have to sew again!! Just slip them over the tops of the chairs. Here they have been accessorised with colourful buttons and pick up other colours in the rooms.
bh&g
Maybe you don't even have a dining area. Any small area can be made as an eating space and here it is outside on a porch. Two chairs and a small patio table is all you need (obviously if there are more of you, you'll have to improvise). I love the French poster and jug of daisies to make it more dining room like....how could you not want to share your day over dinner with loved ones here?
via mels rose place

But for me, the ultimate family meal setting is a fully laid table, blooms, candles and a little bit of heartfelt thought to show these people how special they are to you (oh and good food is always a winner!!!).

I hope you all have a wonderful meal this evening with your loved ones...at a special table, where ever it may be.

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

The Bounty...

I thought I would show you what I brought home from my trip. Not everything was bought though...these little blue and white jars my Mum gave to me. She knew I was on the hunt for Ginger jars and has been scouring all of her haunts for some. These were small enough to bring on the plane. They go so well with my bigger ones.
Love this concrete piece which I bought from Haven & Space (which I posted on yesterday). It only cost $5.95 and it weighed a tonne!

...I think they all look great together on my sideboard.

This lovely thing I found lurking in my Dads shed. There was no way I could fit it in, so when Mum and Dad visit soon, they are going to bring these. There is two of them.
This was another beauty I found in the shed. It is coming with Mum and Dad too. I think Dad is happy to be getting rid of these things from his shed!!

Some lovely fabrics in my new colour palette I bought from Ikea. The bottom fabric was given to me by my Auntie. Oh, and my Uncle is tracking down a black Bakelite phone for me from one of his many Antique contacts...yay! =0)
This beautiful old replica of a sepia botanical print on canvas was picked up at Haven & Space also and was just $14.95. Oh how I just love this store. At present it is hanging in our Guest room while I decide on its permanent position.


This little silver candlestick, which reminds me of mercury glass I bought from Ikea. I wish I had got one of each height they had, but I wouldn't have been able to get them all back. I also bought home some wrapping paper, ribbon, a lovely Orchid stem, some little blue and white vases, lantern and clothes and shoes...of course, and just think - I carried all this home in a carry on bag!
Maybe when Mum and Dad come soon I will get them to pick up the things I couldn't fit it. Now that's an idea.
Ness xx
all images - Ness Lockyer

Packed and ready to go!

via oliveaux
I know it is only Tuesday, but I am signing off early this week because tomorrow the boys and I head off to Sydney to see my Parents, Sisters and Brother. There is lots in store, a Family outdoor soiree, visiting the Zoo, and....
alfresco emporium

lots of shopping! I have a list of the top things I am after. One of them being some more blue and white jars, preferably Ginger Jars, but something like these lovelies will do. As soon as we touch down I am off to Ikea (we don't have one in Tassie...I know!) for some bits and pieces. Also on the agenda is visiting some of the most beautiful stores I regularly haunted when we lived here...there will be lots of photos.

abdyantiques.co.uk

Another item I will be looking out for is a black Bakelite phone. I know it is something I probably won't find, but I will keep my eyes peeled as Mum is a fiend for spotting an elusive item..and always for a tremendous bargain.

flickr
Anyway, we are packed and ready to go, with alot more luggage than Ms Hepburn here!

Have a great week and weekend ans I will be back here on Monday with loads to tell.

Ness xx