A Rainy Market Wrapup

Okay, it wasn't the best weather in Brisbane on Saturday for the Brisbane Indie Mother and Child market, but I had a great day anyway! Luckily there were some who braved the unusually cold and miserable day in order to peruse and purchase some fantastic handmade goodies!

I will admit my first market was a little daunting, and I am very lucky that I had my sister along to help with the setup ..... and stay to support me for most of the day. Thanks Sis! Thanks also to all those friends and acquaintances that came along to make my stand look crowded (te he)!

It was really fantastic to meet lots of people who feel the same way I do about purchasing handmade. Talking to my customers one-on-one allowed me to get some awesome feedback. I really enjoyed meeting all the other BrisStylers and seeing all their products.

I found out that I really really enjoy talking to people about what I do. It's amazing to see the reaction on peoples faces when they see a favourite fairytale of their youth used in a different way. I have already received some wonderful feedback from customers via email - thank you all for taking the time to let me know how you are using your purchases.

I now am really looking forward to the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market on the 6th November. I will be crossing my fingers for a sunny day too! So, if you can, please save the date:-

Hope you all have a great week planned. I am now in the full swing of looking for fixtures for my new main bathroom and ensuite. My Brother-In-Law from M2 Build (who is our builder) told me on Sunday that he would like to demolish the existing main bathroom on the weekend as well as build our new walk-in-robe (aaaahhhh!!!). I thought I had a few more weeks up my sleeve. Anyway, it now means I have to quickly arrange all my trades and make buying decisions. Luckily I gained some fantastic advice from Sonia over at Raine and Sage - she has given me a secret weapon when it comes to purchasing bathroom fittings at bargain prices. So stay tuned as over the next couple of weeks I will be posting my before and afters and letting you know costs etc. along the way! Michelle

One More Sleep to BiMC

Only one more sleep until the BrisStyle Indie Mother and Child market!! My owls and I are ready to go!

So are all my pink goodies ...

Today I am really excited - can't wait to meet all the other BriStylers, and of coarse catch up with some bloggie friends too!

Just finished doing all my last minute stock bits-n-pieces. Packed all the essentials - I've even pre-ordered my lunch. Now all we need is a fine day:)!
If you are in town, and have the time, please drop in and say hi. You can find me inside the hall on stand 5.

Must finish by apologising for not having the time this week to come around and visit you all. I can assure you everything will be back to normal next week though! I must say I have missed you.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend whatever you are doing. Michelle

Only 4 Sleeps To Go

Only four more sleeps until my first market!!! The BrisStyle Indie Mother & Child market is on this Saturday!

At the moment I feel a mixture of excitement and nerves all bundled together. Along with the many many tasks I have yet to complete in order to be ready - many questions are running aroung in my head ..... will I have enough stock?; will anyone like my goodies enough to buy them?; will my stand be 'good enough'?; will my prices be okay?; will ...

The BrisStyle girls are a wonderful group of volunteers who make the whole market process a lot easier by providing lists, contacts, information etc. There is no way you can forget anything required for the day with the wonderful BrisStyle Checklist they put together for you. Every detail is taken care of - right down to the lunch you may want delivered on the day .... the rest is up to me (aaahhh!).

I thought I would give you a little peek at some of the goodies I will have up for offer on the day.

Garlands ....

Party pegs ...

Some tags and magnets ....

More tags (of coarse) ....

My cards .....

There will be a lot more items for sale on the day:-
This Saturday, 9th October
9am - 2pm
St Augustine's Church
Hamilton

If you are in Brisbane on that day, please come along and say hi - I'd love to meet you all. Plus, it will make my stand look busy (te he)!!
Michelle

p.s. Is anyone else having trouble with blogger this morning? I am unable to move my images around so I had to load them all first and then put the text 'around' them.

Giveaway Thanks

from here

Recently I was very lucky to have won a couple of giveaways!

Today I thought I would give an overdue thank you to the two wonderful ladies who hosted the giveaways.

The first thank you goes out to Sandy from Paint Me White - I was really excited when I found I had won a leather bound 2011 diary!

Of course, the diary was not only beautifully wrapped with a hand written card but tucked inside was the adorable little table sham you can see pictured. Thanks Sandy, this will go beautifully in daughter no. 2's 'big girl room' makeover!!

The second thank you goes out to Nellie from McCarthy Designs. You may remember Nellie was giving away Better Homes and Gardens tickets each day for 5 days. Now, I really wanted these tickets, as I am going to Sydney for a girlie long weekend the very same week, so lets just say I entered more than one time!!! Anyway, thank you Nellie, I am thrilled to be able to go to this event.

Nellie sent the tickets inside one of her beautiful cards. She not only has a wonderful blog, but she sells greeting cards with her original photographs from her etsy store. Thanks Nellie, this card now takes pride of place on my pin-board in my office!

It's the little things like the hand written notes that really make these items even more special!! So thank you girls - please know that you are really appreciated.

If you haven't had the opportunity to visit Nellie and Sandy's sites ..... then you absolutely have too! Both of these ladies are really friendly and have wonderful informative sites.
Sandy, as her title suggests, loves to paint furniture so much that she now has a booming business doing it for others. Along the way, we all get to have a little glimpse at her projects and learn from the techniques and advice she freely gives.
Nellie blogs from Orange in NSW, and is a fellow renovator and interior design student. Nellie's blog is always filled with wonderful images and inspiration. She is taking a little break at the moment, but I'm sure she would still love it if you knocked on her door and said hi.

Hope you all have great weekends planned. As I am in the final countdown to my first BrisStyle market next week, I will be working on various handmade projects, not to mention getting price lists etc together. Who would have thought that there would be sooo many little jobs to complete!

Hope your weekend is filled with things you love to do. Michelle

So Adorable

the age

There is something so adorable about Babushka dolls. Their bright hues and happy blushed faces always bring a smile to my face. Safely tucked away inside each other, it's always a great surprise when you find just one more in there!

With this theme in mind, I was really excited when I came across some beautiful Babushka doll stamps designed by Sarah Neuburger of The Small Object. I hope you like what I have done with them ....

These cards will feature at the BrisStyle Mother and Child Markets on the 9th October. Each cute little design will come packaged with an envelope, and sell for $2.50 each.

All the details for BrisStyle markets can be found here.

I'd love it if you came along and said hi!

Thankfully, there is a version of the Babushka doll available for those of us who have never quite grown up ...

not quite nigella

Baking is made way more fun with these nesting measuring cups!

Hope you're having a great start to the week whatever you are doing. Michelle

Curbing My Addiction

sunnysblog

Is there something in your life that you know you can't live without, but at the same time are thinking you would be a better person if you could just well .. 'curb the habit'??

Lately I have been thinking this very same thing about my magazine addiction!
Every month I receive 3 of these magazines in the mail (not to mention those purchased over the counter) ..... always anticipating with excitement what will be beyond the beautiful covers. Relishing in the moments I can snatch away to indulge in other peoples homes and lives.

I am addicted (yes, I fear addicted) to interiors magazines. I find myself looking at these homes (most of which are possibly not as they seem) and rethinking the whole layout of my own home and then rushing out to buy that desperately needed accessory to go with it. Although I love to be informed, and up-to-date with the latest trends, I feel that my life would be calmer without them. Accepting my home as it is now, and not feeling inadequate (as these mags often make me feel), is something that I need to learn to do. I need to learn to be okay with the fact that my arrangements are more 'clusters' than 'vignettes' and that my furniture has the marks of family life written all over it. The problem is when I read these magazines I think my life would be better if only I could have a house like 'this' or an interior like 'that', do you know what I mean?

Anyway, I do solemnly swear (for mine and my families sake) to try to cut back on my addiction and, at times, only look at these magazines as light entertainment rather than as a bible for how your home/life should look. I'll let you know how I go .... and whether or not I have become more grounded, sane, and .... I guess less envious!!

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend. Michelle

Before & After

The transformation of various pieces of furniture and accessories for my youngest daughters 'big girl room' is finally underway. I spent some of last weekend sanding, priming, and painting the dresser that I bought a couple of weeks ago from Lifeline. It's been a while since I painted a piece of furniture, but I don't think it turned out too badly.

Dresser After:

Sorry about the quality of the image but it's raining in Brisbane today!

The image above shows the dresser 'after' with a few of my daughters 'big girl things'. The gorgeous girlie tins are from Mamma's Home in Windsor, the letter 'T' was a gift but I know they are available from Kim & Judi in Coorparoo, and the paperweight butterfly was from a gift store. I'm sure, when the dresser is in her room, she will pile it high with a lot more 'stuff'!

Do you remember the before image:-


And again, After:

I just love the detailing in this dresser:

Thank you for all the advice, especially to Anna from Cornflake who suggested I keep the original handles rather than replacing them with crystal. I'm so glad I did as it keeps a bit of that old world charm intact. Now, it's on to the side tables etc. etc. I think it is going to take a few more weekends!!!

Completed any projects of your own lately? Michelle

My Creative Space

Happily ensconced in my creative space this morning, while my husband has taken the girls to see their grandparents, I have been working on some new designs.

With next month officially being breast cancer awareness month I decided to play around with some hot pink ink! This this is the result ....

Many who have purchased my tags are using them to embellish household objects. These tags are tied around a couple of my medicine jars. I am lucky enough to have a collection of these that I purchased many years ago for $2 each (I know) - no one wanted them back then!

Each tag is made from story books dating from the 1960's.

I have even placed one on my birdcage - which I also purchased a couple of years back from the Paddington Antique Centre in Brisbane. I had lots of fun playing around with a bit of colour for a change.

The other project I have been working on this morning is my growing card collection. Each hand stamped card is blank inside and packaged with a white envelope. I will also be embellishing some of these with stamps from my 1960's collection. I'm really excited about this range.

Both of these ranges, along with many of my other art and stationery items will be available at the Brisbane Indie Mother and Child market (BIMC) - held in Racecourse Road, Hamilton. The dates for the BIMC markets are below - I'm super excited to be joining the many talented people at the BrisStyle market events here in Brisbane. You will be hearing a lot more from me about this market as the date gets closer. If you are planning on being in Brisbane on the weekend of the 9th October I would love to meet you - so please stop by my stand and say hi!

BrisStyle

Hope you are all happily ensconced in your favourite pastime this weekend. Michelle

Questions & Meetings

Lately my four year old has been asking a lot of questions, she is very inquisitive (just like any 4 year old). She is very interested in the human body, and every night before bed we don't read a fairy tale (which would be my choice) but one of her many books on the human body - these books and the many questions that arise from them I can handle....

She has told me that when she grows up she wants to be a Doctor on Monday, a Hairdresser on Tuesdays (she loves her hairdresser), a Clown on Wednesdays (she thinks it would be fun to juggle all day), and a Scientist on Thursdays (she loves doing experiments) - I think Friday is the day she wants to play!!! Anyway this is getting off the track ....

The questions some days seem relentless - and I don't mind questions like
"Why is the sky blue" ...

vivre sa vie nat

Or, "How is honey made" ....

pop gadget

Those are questions I can handle.

But lately every night she has also been asking these confronting questions - (sorry I don't mean to offend anyone, and I forgive you if you stop reading now) - "What happens when we die", "Where will I wake up", "Will I wake up", "When will I die" ....

benliles

Now, next year she is booked into the local Catholic school so I guess I thought that they would handle any of these sticky questions - and that they wouldn't be asked until then. We are looking forward to her going to this school, but we are not terribly religious ourselves - we don't attend church regularly and I am not well equipped to answer her questions.

When I tell her she will go to heaven, she cries and says she doesn't want to go there - she wants to stay in Brisbane. So as my four year old cries because she is afraid of dying ..... I sit with her and don't really know what to say - your advice would really be helpful here as I find after these conversations - when she is drifting off to sleep I let my tears flow silently for the big scary world that I can't control for her.

Have any of you found yourselves in a similar situation? How did you handle it?

oooo0000oooo

Sorry to go all serious on you - to a happier topic now - remember these?

The bedsides have now gone to a new home with Jenny from The Five Year Project - she bought them for her sister who is planning on giving them a French look. Jenny is just lovely in person, and if you haven't had a chance to visit her blog then please knock on her door here. It was so nice to meet her after following her blog for so long. How wonderful to know that those bedsides have gone to a good home - and that we may get a sneak peek when they are finished!

Hope you are all having a great week - we have been having the most wonderful Spring days here in Brisbane. Michelle

My Thrifty Dilemma

Hi everyone, sorry I did not have a post for you all yesterday. I have a great excuse as I spent the day eating out and catching up with family and friends for my birthday! Although it wasn't a significant milestone, today I must admit I am feeling very old.

As part of my day long celebrations, I had morning tea at the WAC and afterward (as I was so close) decided to pay a visit to Lifeline which is only a short distance up the road (can't help myself). You wouldn't believe it, but as I pulled up to park my heart actually skipped a beat, there in the window was a beautiful dressing table - perfect for my babies 'big girl room makeover'! I have been on the lookout for some time for a perfect dresser - not too big as the room is small - and with the perfect girlie lines - so this dresser absolutely fitted the bill.

How gorgeous will this look painted?!

My dilemma - I had to buy the entire three piece suite as they would not separate them - ahh!!!

Now, of coarse I was not going to pass up this dresser as I knew It would be a long time before I saw one again, so for $175 I am now the proud owner of an entire Queen Anne style suite!

You may recall from an earlier post that I already purchased some divine bedside tables (below) from Vinnies. So I now have to decide which set of bedsides to keep! Both sets have great lines and will look fantastic painted white ....... which set to choose.

I am going to start sanding and priming one set this weekend so I need to channel Sandy from Paint Me White - any hints you have would be great. Oh and if you are in Brisbane and know of anyone who would like to buy two bedside tables ripe for a repaint, please ask them to email me and make an offer. Otherwise, I will be loading one of the pairs on to ebay next week.

Paint Me White

Above is an image from Paint Me White showing how they could potentially look when painted - how inspiring is Sandy!!!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! Michelle

mirror mirror on the wall ...

.... who's the fairest of us all?

interior design luxury ideas

I am very excited because we are now past the dreaming stage and in the 'real' planning stage for our bathroom makeovers! It's time to get quotes and start booking in contractors! Yay!!!

In case you have just joined me, part of Stage 2 of our renovation requires an ensuite to be created out of an old walk-in-robe, and the main family bathroom to be completely restyled with new ... well, everything! True to form, when I should be concentrating on where the bath/vanities/showers etc will actually go, I am looking at all the 'fluffy' finishing products!

It all started when I was flicking through a back issue (August 2010) of Home Beautiful the other day, and came across Georgie and Sean's Melbourne home. Georgie has placed a lattice-framed mirror over her vanity, its strong lines really draw the eye - "I find plain fixed glass in bathrooms can lack soul" - "I prefer to hang ornate mirrors to create a softer look ..." she says.

home beautiful
(please excuse the grainy quality of the image
as I photographed it directly from the mag)

This got me thinking ... she is right .... it also follows my philosophy that every room should have at least one statement piece or at least one 'wow' feature. This of coarse started me on a trail of obsessive mirror gazing, article clipping and internet hopping!
Some samples of which are below.

love how 'moody' this bathroom looks - and the white mirror against the black - stunning!

furniture store blog

simple, yet decorative ...

arhzine

hello yellow - a little too much stripe for me - but the mirror looks fab!

interior design luxury ideas

okay, yes I now realise I have a thing for black and white ...

home decor arcade

striking round mirrors ...

momoy

forget the gorgeous mirror - wish I had this space ....

hit decors

So, what do you think? Do you have a decorative mirror in your bathroom - if so where did you get it? I've seen quite a few old mirrors lately at places like the W.A.C which may look great with a little spray paint too! Should I go for it, or stick to plain mirrors for resale value?

Thanks, I love receiving all your comments and suggestions. Michelle

My Find!

Hope everyone has had a fantastic week! I can't believe it's Friday already!

classicly amber

Recently I discovered a gorgeous little store called 'Fairies at Work' which is packed to the brim with wonderful little goodies. Imagine a really, really, really, compact version of the W.A.C. along with every fantastic garage sale you have every been to - mix it all together - and .... voila you have 'Fairies at Work'! The owner is a sweet lady who sells vintage linens, kitchenware, china, jewellery, furniture .... and the list goes on.

I had no idea which way to look in this store, and admit I have to go back when I have more time for a closer look! But I did find a wonderful Glass Dome - yay - and only $20!!! I have been looking for a second hand one of these for what seems like forever, and finally found it in this magical little store. I guess fairies really were at work!

Below is my wonderful little glass dome (or cloche) sitting next to some very old plumbers lasts that I found in an antique store many years ago. Okay my dome didn't come with a fancy silver stand like the one in the image above ... but I think it is beautiful anyway!

I know I'm not the only one who likes to display items under glass....

Very pretty ...

camel and yak

The modern look ....

gardenelia antiques

This one brought a smile to my face ....

rockett st george

My purchase got me thinking ...... what's under your dome? Would love it if you shared.

Wishing everyone a great weekend. Michelle