Creating whimsy in Winter....

Winter for me is the perfect time to create.

The sense of home really sets in and nothing makes me happier than

being here in our 

'Old Lady'

pottering about and pondering new ideas.

I have been very busy, more busy than usual since the release of this months

Country Style magazine

and it has me digging about in my design/sketch books for new things to make

...and these plates which are part of the 

"Inspire Series"

for Winter 2012

I love this one, 'be the one that matters'

I think that is perfect as a Mum, 

as we often forget about ourselves, selflessly attending to our dear Children and Husbands and homes,

(not that we complain and wouldn't change it)

but seem to forget about ourselves....

and sometimes we need to remember this.

The new 'Functional' range very exciting for me-

food grade glaze on top of inspiring words

...have you cake and eat it to on something pretty!

So many of you have emailed me since the magazines release telling me that

after reading my story, you are now inspired to take your own creative journeys

I say....'start the journey', you won't regret it.

and even more exciting is that I now can add my own handwriting to the plates and bowls,

here it is 'beauty is...everywhere'

and I couldn't agree more.

Here it is white porcelain and a vintage doily imprint.

The 'Luft Balloon' Brooch- 

porcelain and whimsical

and now also......

the 'Luft Balloon' porcelain pendant necklace, glazed and glossy!

These Deer Antler brooches were earmarked for The recent

Apron Design Market I attended a few weeks back, 

and have now only released them.

Porcelain and hand moulded...no two are the same.

and here is a sneak of the 

Boutique Markets I have only just come home from that were in Hobart today.

The 'Scrappy Jack" covers were a huge hit!

Thank you to all of you who came and told me about the magazine and said hi.

I love meeting you all and hearing your stories about finding Marley & Lockyer,

your connection with the products and even your own journeys.

I really appreciated you taking the time =0)

Marley & Lockyer in Australian Country Style this month!!!!

Yay....MY HUGE SECRET CAN BE REVEALED!!!

This month in Australian Country Style,

Marley & Lockyer and I 

have been featured between the delicious pages of one of my favourite magazines!

Here is a little snippet from the 5 page story that the talented Hillary Burden wrote.

The photographs were taken by the equally talented Sharyn Cairns.

Both of these Women are masters of their work and to watch the ease at which they do it, while making me feel so comfortable was an amazing experience to say the least.

All of this wouldn't have come together without Victoria Carey, the Editor of the magazine and I 

thank you Victoria for the opportunity to be part of your delightful magazine.

Victoria wrote this on the magazines webpage...

I’m sitting in my office writing this letter and looking at a whiteboard filled with notes on stories months ahead.

Ness Lockyer, the inspiring subject of our lead story, also has a board at her house but the words are far more evocative and elegantly written than my brief scribbles — You only live once ... live beautifully.

That’s something that Ness certainly does with her husband and two young sons — and while doing it, she has also created a successful online business, selling the homewares she makes in her Tasmanian home around the world.

I am thrilled beyond words and I hope you will stop in to your local Newsagent, Supermarket or wherever you shop at and pick up the 

June 2012 issue of Australian Country Style

...I bought lots!!

What we are working on now.....the workroom

Yes, I know. We are gluttons for punishment!

We have started the next renovation project here at

The Old Lady....

It is going to be my new workroom a.k.a "Sweatshop".

My current space has become small - fast lately and

we decided that I needed a lot more space.

So, we have gutted our second living room to make way for the new space.

I have always loved this room and it has perfect light and a fire!

Once upon a time there was a doorway here to the left, which was covered over when we renovated 

the room on the other side (my current workspace).

It will be getting 11 foot beadboard planks, either side of the fireplace and shelves for all of my products on this side, the other side will house my office desk and files etc on matching shelves.

We (Mic and I), hung all of the plaster board on Sunday and got to work gutting the rest.

One of these sofas will be staying and the other is going.

By early afternoon, all of the plaster was hung...

and let me tell you trying to hang a 5 meter sheet of plaster 11 foot up is hard work!

The bottom boards are wood and they will be getting a new coat of white along with the floor.

This light fitting is original to The Old Lady and was hand hammered.

In the 1880's when the house was built, it was up the other way and held candles.

You can still see the wax shields.

I was thinking of painting this white also...but still undecided.

The ceiling will remain wood. The space needs that wood.

Here is a better view of the space where my office table will go

.....and 11 foot of beadboard.

We are hoping to get the board up this weekend.

Now, if you are wondering where all of the 'stuff' went from this room.....

in here!

Poor Mic.

This is his "Man Cave", but for the time being it is full of stuff.

I guess I need to have a garage sale when this room is done- hey?!

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Bathroom Reveal....Tah Dah!

TAH DAH!

Finally, I can give you some images, well lots actually,so this may bore you.

You have to understand we have been waiting over 9 years for this bathroom renovation

...see why I am excited!!?

This is where we started a few years back, I done a little mini makeover

I was sick of looking at orange pine and ball wall linings.

So a coat of fresh white paint was enough to tide me over for a little while.

Our old vanity got the same treatment

Now here is where the fun started (tongue in cheek there)

We ripped off the lining on the roof to reveal the old boards

That turned out to be terrible and had to be covered with fresh ones...HUGE job that was!

we found under the lining, some old, old papers and hand printed wall papers from the late 1800's-1920's

lot's of them!

The floor under bath needed replacing

(here is Mic doing a wonderful job)

Once the plaster board went on, we had to re-think the vanity.

Luckily I had this lovely in my office storing my files!

A lot of tweaking and some fresh paint and glossy white tiles and she is a fitting piece for 

"The Old Lady"

I absolutely adore this!

Most of our bathroom has been done on a strict budget,

and I found lots of pieces very cheaply through ebay, etsy and the like.

This mirror was $20.00 and our handles were $2.00 each in brushed nickel.

The cup handles still have to go on to the drawers yet.

I added some of my ceramic tealights for sparkle too.

The drawer on the left is a dummy drawer to accommodate the new sink, but will still get a handle.

We have used the same handles on our new linen cupboard...

which my Dad flew down to build for us as Mic had given up at that stage.

He admits he is no Builder and passed the finishing bits to my very talented Dad, 

who done a brilliant job and I now have a mountain of storage space in there with it going right up to the 

11 foot ceiling!

Thanks Dad xx

Our Chandelier came from Bunnings. I love it.

It is not too frou frou or over the top.

Understated, but chic....like "The Old Lady".

All of the new power outlets were bought at our reproduction store here in Launceston

Paraphernalia on Wellington Street.

(they know us well there!)

We also had our shower rail custom made through them to fit the specs of the bath, which was a luxury,

but well worth it. I added three inner curtains in clear plastic and the outer curtains are a stripped jaquard.

With two grubby little Men in the House, this many curtains were needed...and it's like a cocoon when your in there!

Our bath we picked up through a 'friend-of-a-friend' for 2 case of beer and had it sent away to be sandblasted back to the cast iron and re-enamelled

...its gorgeous.

The whole thing makes a huge difference to the space.

Some little luxuries when in  the tub on my old Bentwood chiar.

(Mic is reading this Autobiography at the moment)

A room is never really finished is it?

I still have some pictures to hang and dress the laundry room

(another post)....stay tuned.

I did however find these Butterfly prints on etsy.

I love them. As my name means "Butterfly", I thought it fitting.

I am going for a botanic feel in here with the art works.

Thats one of my tealights again there on the toilet

Love them! The frames where $3.00 for a pack of 3 at Kmart!

Tealight show off ;0)

We added new towel rails which were also from Bunnings

...and some more of my ceramic tealights...

The wall colour we used is from Dulux.

It is Beige Royal Half on the top and the white is also from Dulux. It is Antique White USA.

They work so well together.

You can see here the window is not dressed

Well, Mic has to replace the sill still and then it will get an antique Irish linen piece.

The top of the sash window will be being replaced with clear glass and the bottom will stay frosted for privacy.

The floor is a new Italian tile product which is like a tile, but cuts like a vinyl.

We got a fairly neutral colour.

We needed a product like this seeing The Old Lady is, well...old!

So, I would love to hear what you think.

We are so happy with it and it is nice to not be ashamed to open the door in here any more when people are over. I actually want to leave it open all the time!

TAH DAH!

industrious weekend...

This weekend has been an industrious one!

Bathroom is all but done and I have started dressing it

(photos to come)

we got all of the painting and little fiddly bits finished

AND

started gutting the new workroom!

We even hung all of the plasterboard up

(and I am squealing with excitement)

I have been planning and designing more for

Marley & Lockyer

and my desk looks like this wall here.

There are sketches and specs everywhere!

images here

As tomorrow is Monday,

there is so much to do.

This weekend coming M&L will be in Hobart for the 

Boutique Markets at The Old Woolstore on Sunday.

So, lots to finish up.

But before that all starts, I will be heading to my favourite coffee shop

for my morning Latte

...then I will get to work and get some pictures on here of the bathroom!

Yay.

Ah...It's Friday!

pinterest.com

Thank goodness it is Friday

This week has been super busy with the shop sale on Facebook

and starting the new range stock pile.

I have loads planned for the weekend and it is this photo which

keeps me motivated.

It is just stunning. I would take it as is.

I have been thinking if I should paint my whole dining table white like this, 

or leave the top wood as it is now......hmmm

another job for the ever growing renovation list!

skona hem

One thing I do have planned is a lie in.

I know that it won't actually happen with two little Boy's about, 

who seem to work out with the Birds before they go to bed, what time they will all

wake up....and it usually very, very early.

I would be happy even if it was a lie in.

My soul needs it.

...and one more thing... 

I need to get this bathroom photographed so I can do the 

"Tah Dah"

for you. My Dad built our new Linen closet doors, which

are waiting a fresh coat of white paint.

Then it is basically dress the room (it sounds so easy)

AND, I have that SUPER DOOPER exciting event happening during the 

week. Finally I will be able to let you know what it is.

Have a wonderful weekend xx

Try Outs....

This week has been all about ceramics.

I have been designing a new ceramic range of plates and bowls 

and playing about with them

...try outs...

There is a calming feeling I get while I work with clay.

I don't know why, I just zone out. It's beautiful.

This new plate from the 

Marley & Lockyer "Inspire Series", 

is a new favourite of mine, and even in it's wet stage here

it is lovely.

I am very excited about this new collection

-all of my sketches and thoughts appearing on ceramic and porcelain!

That's not all that's been going on in 

"The Sweatshop"

new cushion covers too!

They are not photographed yet, but you can see two of them on my bentwood chair in

the background there.....

vintage Irish linen and Bank/Feed sacks.

This image was taken at the recent Apron Design Market that 

Marley & Lockyer appeared at alongside That Vintage in Launceston.

There is so much happening in the workroom that I have no space left.

Oh, yeah - the new "sweatshop" renovation will begin very soon

...and I can't wait!

I am also trying something out with dye...fill you in soon =0)

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