New Year 2013

Its New Years Eve tomorrow night and rather than ponder over what my resolutions will (or won't be) or reflecting on the year that has been, I am instead wondering what I am going to wear!  We are heading out for dinner with a couple of friends to a french restaurant in Prahran where I will eat too much and drink the same!

It is not a night that calls for a heap of effort of spray tans, special hair and sparkly outfits but that is all I can think of!  So instead of wearing my ultimate outfit I have hit Pinterest instead.  Here are my inspiration photos for you should you be heading out to a party that calls for sparkles.......

All pins can be found on My Style board on Pinterest

Have a great New Years eve no matter what you are doing!

Sally

Goo - quick update

Wow what a long time its been since we updated our blog!  With Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and actually getting work done our blog has been a little neglected of late.  So what have we been up to?

We have launched a new range!

We've been to Kids Instyle.  Check out our bran yard stand, we had so much fun creating it!

Uniqueness: Herriott Grace

In a world of beautiful products that are so easily copied (or ripped off) I always appreciate a company that is creating unique, one off pieces.  Herriott Grace is one of those companies.  From salves to ceramics and hand carved wooden pieces they update their product range once a month and when its sold, well its sold because there is only one!

I especially love these guys as they are a family business (just like us).  A father and daughter that live miles apart but still work together to create amazing things.  Check out some of their products below.

Sally

On this day in 1987.....(Simple friends)

I blogged about finding my old diaries earlier this month and its inspired me to keep sharing some of the great memories I discovered.  This one is a favourite for a couple of reasons:

1. The girl that gave me this letter in 1987 is now my sister in law and mother to 3 of my nieces
2. The simplicity and honesty of 6 year olds is something to be cherished
3. Colour pens were just soooo cool

In case you can't read it this is what it says: (spelling errors included)

Dear Sally,

            I have had fun playing with you and next time I will bring you to my party and if I go to your party I will give you a big surprise. 

            Yours Truly, Amanda

(Sorry I didn't do something else be I didn't no what to do)

Where has the simplicity and honesty gone?  At what age do we lose it? What would life be like if we didn't?

Imagine I said to you now, invite me to your party and then you can come to mine, I'll make it worth your while.  Just like that, straight out there!  

Dreaming of Paris

I came across this picture whilst I was searching for armchairs for my lounge room.  The chair is from Poliform, an Italian brand but this picture takes me to Paris.  Maybe its something to do with the Eiffel tower in the background

The Mighty Murray

The Murray River is the 3rd longest navigable river in the world and separates Victoria from New South Wales and flows onto South Australia.  Over the past decade we have seen it reach its lowest point as the drought dragged on and on.

Image Source: Australian Conservation Foundation

In my mind the Murray conjures up images of paddle steamers, houseboats, water skiers and fisherman who all enjoy the river and are happy to share its many kilometres.  However there has been much debate over where its water should flow and water allocations.  From way upstream in another river the cotton and rice farmers vs the fruit growers vs the government, I don't know who is right all I know is the image above shows we have a much greater problem. Soon there may be no water to share!

But then the rains came and now we are watching the news wondering which town will be flooded next.  Why do I care?  Well the mighty Murray River is now flooding the Broken Creek and it is that creek on which my in-laws live.  The water is lapping at the bridge and the army are sandbagging as I write.  The levy's are expected to hold but the wait is excruciating, I can't imagine sitting at home and wondering how much I will have left in a few days, if anything at all.  What would I save, would I stick around and watch it happen or get out now?  I don't know, I'll never know until I am faced with the questions.

As the media coverage continues our phones ring more and more with concerned friends and family.  We don't have answers though.

     When will it flood? Don't know, they say Thursday.
     How high do they expect it to get? Ummm don't know
     Will their house be affected? Again, don't know
     Are they ok? Yes at this point.
     Will the be ok? Don't know!

I really have been amazed by the amount of phone calls we have received and am so grateful that we have so many people thinking about our family at this time.  When I know something, anything I will make sure everyone knows but in the meantime we hope.

     We hope the levy holds and no-one in the town is affected.
     We hope those that have already lost homes and belongings in other towns saved what is special to them
     We hope they can recover quickly
     We hope insurance companies make it easy

But most of all we hope that the debate over water shifts to solutions rather than political arguements.

On this day in 1998..... (Meiringein, Switzerland)

I was in Meiringein, Switzerland.

Today I opened up my memory box for the first time in years and found my travel diary.  It was so much fun looking back over my memories and laughing at myself.  I always had a diary when I was younger and I shared everything (and I mean everything!).  So I thought I would share some of it with you.  Here is an exert from the 3rd March 1998:

Today Jodie & I went on a mission to find Matt.  From here we caught a train to Meiringein then trapsed around the village wondering where the hell to start but then the freestyle office looked good ....

I won't continue as the way I wrote is terrible and boring!

  

So what was I doing on the other side of the world in a tiny snow town in Switzerland?  I had not long arrived in Switzerland on my European adventure and Meiringein was where I was meeting an American skier (who shall remain nameless, there must be more than one American skier called Matt) that I had fallen for and had a brief relationship with in Australia.  I was working at Mt Buller and he was there to compete in the World Cup Aerials competition. 

Yes I know I know I can hear you now thinking it - "She left home to meet a boy", what happened?  Exactly what you would expect happened, we had a few weeks of travelling while he competed and had a great time then he had to go home and I was on my own. All over red rover.  I look back now and wonder what the heck I was thinking!!  But I would do it all over again because the next few years were some of the best adventures of my life!

MELBOURNEmade launch

I recently shared some photo's of Flynns room that we took for MELBOURNEmade Magazine.  Well Thursday night was the launch of the new ma and Lisa and I went along to check it out. We met some great people and also ran into a few of our old faves.

Lisa was lucky enough to add some content in the Top Tips for Kids rooms and it looked so great in the magazine. Check it out below (sorry for the quality I took this on my iPhone)

That's our Field of Foxes quilt on the right!

Alli from Motivating Mum was there and it was good to catch up and have a chat.  As always she is as busy as ever helping out work at home mums get their business on track and if you haven't already signed up to her forum or workshops they are well worth it!

We met the guys (and gal) from Mi Goals and we were both lucky enough to win one of their desk calendars.

And last but not least we also met the husband and wife team from Ross Calia Photography.  Now these guys are kid crazy, they are pregnant with their fourth baby!  But they were so lovely and when I checked out their website on Friday I was so impressed with their photos we will definitely be calling them for a new photo shoot we have planned.

So thanks to everyone at MELBOURNEmade for such a great night and good luck for the new magazine!

Sally

Dyed Wooden Beads Necklace

I really want to do this project- make my own beaded necklaces.  I am constantly searching for great bead necklaces and never quite find what I'm looking for.  Enter Martha Stewart and her DIY project and it  shouldn't be that hard!

Now I just have to find the time!

If you have more time then me instructions can be found here

Sally

Megumi Sakakibara

Whilst we are on the subjects of amazing designers (Check out yesterday's post on Naomi Ito) lets talk about Megumi Sakakibara.

We currently have two of Megumi's designs in our quilt range.  Both our Farm Girl and Fox ranges incorporate Megumi linen and have been so well received.

I spend a lot of time on her website checking out new designs and thought I would share a few of my favourites.

I love clocks and these are just so fun for a kids room.

  

One of my favourite things about Megumi is how she plays on our imaginations - its as if the little girl and the rabbit really exist

Thursday Three - Procrastination

I just discovered Lisa's Thursday Three link up and I thought this weeks was just right for me.

1. Filing - I hate filing my mail, actually I just don't like receving mail at all, it just means something more to do. Either I have a bill to pay, a form to fill in, an account to reconcile and so I just dump it all in my paper inbox (pile of papers) and forget about until I get a reminder then I might just think about dealing with it.  What that really means is move it to the box at the bottom of my wardrobe.  Its funny really I am extremely organised in so many other areas.
2. Finishing our new website - I know it needs to be done and it won't take long but it means really thinking and I've been so busy lately I just haven't had the brain space
3. Doing my tax - I haven't done it for 2 years now (all the receipts are in that box at the bottom of my wardrobe) and its going to be June sooner than I realise which means I'll have 3 years to do at once, may as well wait I say!

Nani Iro by Naomi Ito

We love Nani Iro fabrics.  We have used her muslin for our muslin wraps in the past and our current Birch range is also a Nani Iro fabric. (which we announced here)

I was browsing through Noami's main site and came across some gorgeous designs that I hope she releases on fabric soon.  Check them out below.


These ducks are just devine.  Imagine them on a boys wrap or I could even see them on a onesie!

Dots are very cool, something a little bit out of the ordinary

And if you don't like a standard dot why not a bit of something else - check out those two little fish down the bottom

Sally

Its Market Mania!

Things have been so busy around here lately and we just can't seem to keep up with everything (especially this blog).  But finally we seem to be getting on top of things are pleased to announce the following markets you will find us at in the coming months:

Mathilda's Market - Malvern - 26th February

We love Mathilda's Market and have been to many over the past year, so we return again to Malvern.  We will have a new range of wraps available as well as bibs and quilts and we are now taking orders for single bed and junior bed quilts in all of our current range designs.

Flemington Craft Market - 26th February

Yes it is on the same day as Mathilda's but we love Flemington Craft Market and our regular customers.  We will have all of our sale stock available as well a selection of our new range.  As always the market is at Flemington Racecourse.

Baby & Toddler Show - 30th March - 1st April 

This will be our first time at the Baby & Toddler Show and we are busy sewing to prepare for the thousands of people that will visit over the 3 days.  We will also have an exciting new range to launch but more about that later!

We hope to see you at one of the markets soon

Sally

Flynns Room

Finally we've finished Flynns room.  It has been a work in progress for the past 6 months as we have been trying to build a business, find somewhere to store our product and look after 2 little ones!

We did have good reason to finish, we are being featured in a new magazine Melbourne Made.  Watch out for it and Lisa's top tips on putting a kids bedroom together. In the mean time head over to their website and subscribe