WOMENS WEEKLY SPREAD ..

A few months ago, the delightful and super-talented Shannon Fricke emailed me about putting my OEKE umbrellas and cushions in an outdoor feature she was styling for the Australian Women's Weekly. After my initial shreaks of delight, I very professionally said 'Oh yes, that would be wonderful' and sent up the OEKE 'Black Leaf' umbrella and various cushions. Well, the WW is out and, as you can see from these scanned images, Shannon has done a magnificent job of making everything look fab!

With the Robert Plumb furniture, the fire pit and accessories from Patio by Jamie Durie, the Freedom planter boxes and lanterns - and the SunnyLIFE cushions and accessories, the 'Cosy Outdoor Haven' spread makes me wish for blue skies and warm weather so I too can make my outdoor area look this devine.

ANOTHER GREAT STORE ..

They call Geelong 'Sleepy Hollow' and sometimes, I agree, it's rather boring down here - especially in regards to buying 'things' .. especially designer 'things'. But, while I am on this retail hunt, I thought I would also show you another great retail store in Barwon Heads.

Maria started Kiitos Living by Design a little over 12 months ago and her range now includes an amazing array of Marimekko fabrics, Alessi, Funkis (I bought some Funkis clogs and just fell in love), Marc Pascal, Me and Amber .. and Corban and Blair - and that's just a few.

From the Kiitos website I pulled this .. "The store has a gallery-like feel with high ceilings, stark white walls and floor providing a perfect backdrop to showcase products from some of the world's best known and loved design houses. Selection of stock was based on the following criteria - aesthetic beauty, design merit and recognition and functunality. At kiitos living by design we simply adore designer homeware products that not only bring joy to everyday living but will, in time, become much loved and treasured family keepsake".

Couldn't agree more. Oh, and there is also a blog which showcases all the new things in store .. (-:

STYLISH RETAIL STORE ..

If you happen to be down in Victoria this weekend - you simply must stop at THE RED PIGEON (either Barwon Heads or Newtown store). Martine has the most amazing ability to source stylish, beautiful and oh-so-HOT products - so much so, that the Mr has banned me from entering (little does he know I popped in on Friday and checked out all the new stuff!!!).

One of my favourite things in the store is by one of the mum's from my son's school - JO (that is JO for the artist - not JOE as in my son - confusing .. yes, but lets move on). JO creates magical, individual artworks from maps and old childrens books and then creates origami butterflies that sit over the top. It might be hard to see in this image - but if you saw in store, your wallet would be out quick smart and you too would buy one for yourself.

Visit her website here for more pictures and details of where to visit.

(Oh, and she just might be stocking my OEKE umbrellas too - I'm feeling quite chuffed!!!)

CHALKBOARD PAINT COLOURS ...

i generally don't like to use other bloggers image (especially if they have kids in them) BUT as he is blurry, has his back turned AND I have added a link to the blog from where the image came - I hope I come under the radar on this one???


I've always wanted a blackboard to write things on. It looks so nice in the magazines where they have selectively written 'pasta, wine, dinner @ mums' .. that sort of thing. But BLACK?? It always seemed a tad negative to me AND reminded me too much of school.

But lucky me found Hudson Paints. They do such fancy colours as 'Italian Kitchen', 'Army Boy' and 'Supergirl Perriwinkle'. It's just one man with a vision and his family taking on the world one blackboard at a time. They don't have that many images on their website - but I did take this one from Nonchalant Mum blog (she did up her son's room and doesn't it look swish!!)

NEW OEKE WEBSITE ...

Well, I have learnt a little lesson with web hosting. I just found out the OEKE website is actually NOT there. Freaky heh (well, actually I would use another 'F' word ....). I didn't realise when you plan on changing who hosts your site that all the information on there (if not saved) gets deleted. O H M Y ! ! ! This all came about as I am changing the site to a WordPress setup. More ability to change things on an ongoing basis - add pictures, general info etc. Cool. Most excited. Yipee. Until the new WP site is up and running - and to get me through the next few weeks until the 'real' site is up - I have designed a new 'temporary' site. Just a one page 'Hi, this is Me' sort of thing. It's hard designing for yourself - for your own things. Client work is fun, interesting, easy-in-a-stressed-sort-of-way .. but for myself - yikes. I redesigned this one page about 15 times - hope you all like it ... ????

TUESDAY FUN ..

I hope my little cartoon sums up where I am at the moment. Do you ever have days/weeks that you are just too busy to even blog? Work is busy, the OEKE umbrellas are busy, we are trying to finish the landscaping out the front of the house, the kids have so many birthday parties on at the moment, I am doing 'design work' for both kindy and school AND I am trying to diet. I also got caught up in a book (nothing too fancy, but still engrossing) and I just couldn't put it down. Being a mum and trying to juggle everything has gotten on top of me. PERHAPS if the sun was out and the weather warm we could all go to the beach and I could de-stress that way.

Another 'stress' for me is my birthday .. I am getting older in only 8 sleeps. I am really feeling it and sometimes wish I was 25 again .. all fun, no pressure. Did I enjoy myself back then .. was it really as good as I remember it to be. Don't get me wrong .. I love my life here - moving to the coast was so much better than living in Melbourne. Living on 4 acres is a delight compared to having a squishy back yard. Selling my umbrellas while still trying to keep my graphic design business going is fun. Just sometimes it gets to a point where you think 'where is ME time'.

Thanks for listening to my whinge .. I kinda feel better (-:

THURSDAY FUN ...

RATTAN PANTON CHAIR ...

Oh my - look at this little number that just came to me via email. I do love the panton chair - but THIS is even better. Rattan is always a lovely warm material and would look lovely either indoors or out (although I would probably lose the cushion). This is from a Chinese manufacturer (link) - so I am not sure if they are available in Australia anywhere. I wish they were .. don't you!!

DESIGN HUNGRY ...

It's Thursday. We have officially dieted for 2 solid weeks. No slip ups, no cheating .. nada!! BUT I am hungry .. eating soup while I type (home made soup at that) but still hungry. SO, when I came across these delightful looking food pics I just had to include. I found these via the kidlark blog - where they found this .. Twig & Thistle blog.

Now I am lucky in that the original post IS about designing .. but I don't even pretend to be looking at the graphics. JUST. THE. FOOD.

A LITTLE THANKYOU ..

I have just been browsing around and have realised that 2 posts I did last week were from links I found via Dales HD Inspirations blog (HD for hospitality design). I forgot where I had found my links and now I am sending my thanks. THANKS. Go check his blog - lots of pretty pics .. and I mean LOTS!!

THURSDAY FUN - ON A TUESDAY

I missed my usual 'Thursday Fun' post last week .. so I thought I would post today. Let's just pretend it is Thursday already and only a day away from the weekend .. now that'll make anyone smile ...

PHORM DESIGN - QUEENSLAND

My blog was meant to be about art, people, design, houses etc etc .. but it would appear my only interest is houses. Well, I should say 'designer houses'. It is true, I google my days away in between work and kids etc - and find homes that just 'tick or the boxes' for me. I guess it is my hobby.

When I find an Australian firm doing all the great things I love - I get even more excited. I think to myself 'oooh, they are only 1,256kms away - they are pretty much my neighbours'. WELL. I have found my neighbours in Phorm Design (here). Stephen and Ian are the co-directors of this interior design firm who specialise in making the drab into designer, the ugly into unreal and the yuk into yipee! They also have a blog where they list all the gorgeous things that inspire them.

Gotta love your neighbours heh!!!

THE BEST !!!

I have JUST found the amazing Croma Design (here). I am completely in love with everything they have done. I could barely get to this post quick enough - and really, have no words to describe the perfection that Croma create. Amy Kent + Ryan Martin are the duo with the talents .. AND they have a blog (which has even more pretty pics). Quick .. scedaddle ..