The Weekend & Week that was…and the 2013 Christmas Release!

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©Ness Lockyer- Marley & Lockyer

What a  crazy, beautiful week we have had here. Our little boys are still on School Holidays (they go back on Monday) and we have been having such a great time.

Although there has been not a lot of work being done..argh…it has been so nice to have some down time with them before the crazy, busy season kicks off on Saturday (see end of post).

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Our house had a huge clean…and clean out…and we went off to the dump with two massive trailer loads of stuff. We are really trying to not keep anything that is not used. I don’t like clutter at all. A little change of mantels, like the one in the kitchen here, seemed to make the whole house feel like we didn’t just finish a room renovation!

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This awesome recycled tire tub has been sitting on the studio floor, waiting for a day to be filled for a few weeks, and I finally got to plant a new Olive tree in it for the front door…it won’t stay in here for long, but after my last Olive tree that was here died…well, eaten by some crazy bush ants... I really needed a new one. The silver leaves look great against the grey of the house and door.

Styling by NessLockyer ©Marley&Lockyer

That sparked a day in the front yard, tending to the masses of grass etc that had taken up space in the garden beds with all of the crazy rain we had recently…it also meant the wild Garlic had really gone wild and was choking my Hydrangeas…wasn’t happy about that, so out they come. Apparently, this stuff makes awesome pesto…but Mic just thinks it stinks and I don’t think I could ever sneak it into a dish as we have always called it Onion Weed…it really is a strong onion/garlic scent. The flowers are pretty though.

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It comes out really easy too…but you have to get the whole bulb at the bottom…or it comes back!

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Last weekend I ventured off by myself to the Killiecrankie Christmas Tree Farm’s Spring Open Day. The drive between our Old Lady and the tree farm is one of my favourites…and it was a beautiful morning too.

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It was set up like a farmers market with local producers from Vineyards, artisan pig and beef farms (best sausage sandwich with caramelized onion and relish ever) as well as artists and makers and this stall was from a brand new Hazelnut farm in the area…these are the first crop. I picked up some amazing choc chip, hazelnut cookies…and the recipe too.

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It was sooooo windy once I arrived and the poor Hazelnut ladies stall nearly blew away. I was mainly there for the plants. Lee, the owner of the tree farm is also a Horticulturalist and is growing lots of plants for sale.

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A lot of them I had not heard of, like this Maltese Cross…so I bought some along with Globe Artichokes, Lambs Ears and some other hardy plants for our garden.

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Lee has the cutest shipping container pay point ever, filled with local made jams and mustard’s as well as her apple wreaths.

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I also grabbed some Olive branches on the way home…so the car was full.

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I managed to finally get to a dear friends new (actually an 1800’s home) for a visit…and it is amazingly beautiful. I fell in love with everything in it as I knew I would…which sparked the crazy spring clean from the first photo! Everything here is old and stunning. Think French and European antiques, Olive trees in enormous terracotta olive pots, box hedges and deep set Georgian windows with stoneware pots on the ledges, old sepia oil portraits of generals, soft linen covered sofas….heaven!

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Now on the way from this gorgeous home, above, and after a stop at Laser Tag with the boys, we found a new vintage supplier. I had to contain myself…treasure galore! I came out with these beautiful stoneware bottles, an old storage crate, and this old military carry all.

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It also has numbers on the bottom of it. I love it!

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Yesterday was a public holiday, so we pottered about at home.

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and had a sleep in…a treat we don’t get very often.

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but my mind was on the Christmas release for 2013…happening tomorrow, Saturday. I went to unload yet another batch from the kiln…held my breath as the elusive Divine Wing Platter was in there….and….it cracked – again. I could have cried. SO MUCH WORK…cracked. I thought I had solved the issue, but guess it is back to the drawing board…

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…anyway, everything else survived and is ready to go for tomorrows release. The time it kicks off will be at 11am AEDST and if the other releases and the emails I have received about tomorrows update are to go by…if you want to purchase something, you will need to be ready to go. It sells out in minutes!! The Christmas stock will be added regularly to the store up to the big day also.

If you follow my instagram and facebook page, you would have seen this sign with the missing R. SO funny. I thought it looked weird…I fixed it 😉 See you all tomorrow xx

Comments

comments

Comments (8)

  • Thanks Ness for your lovely comments on our home; next time you come i will have to show you upstairs as well…..glad you enjoyed it……x

    Reply
    • I just love it Amanda. You inspire me so much!! I would love to come by another time without the boys for a cuppa with you xx

      Reply
  • Love the newsy post. And when I scrolled down to the Divine Wing Platter….I could have cried too!! Looking forward to the Christmas release, but as I’m sans funds until Wednesday I’ll just have to hope that there’s something left by then 🙁 ……it’s a very long shot I know, your beautiful creations sell like hotcakes! xx

    Reply
    • Don’t worry there will be lots of xmas updates in the lead up to Christmas. I’m sure you will snap something up 🙂
      Ness xx

      Reply
  • Beautiful beautiful photos Ness! Your home is just stunning – I really love the blue and white jug on the mantle. Oh, and the olive tree – wonderful! I’m thinking about different plants I can put in my garden (getting it sorted out this week and so excited to get started on it) – are they much to look after?

    Reply
    • It’s a beauty. The crack gives it more beauty I think. I can’t bear to throw it out because of a crack…we all have those!
      Olive trees are brilliant…not a lot of watering required once they are established after the first year…they like it dry. Great if you don’t have time…like me.
      Ness xx

      Reply
  • Hello there
    Saw your plate and thought I’d drop you a note about the cracking. I make ceramics and sometimes if the clay is not compressed properly it can crack. Another possibility is the speed at which your kiln is coming to temperature may be too quick and so the glaze and clay don’t have enough time to meld. I am probably teaching my ‘grandma to suck eggs’ but I hope I have written something you may not have considered which will help solve the problem. I’ve experienced many tears at the open kiln door and hope to save you some.
    Cheers
    Elisa

    Reply
    • Thanks Elisa for the info. I have tried changing the settings, but I keep getting the crack during glazing…I even made extra sure there was no variances when I made the platter, but still happening. I’m thinking of doing a slip cast run to see if that works…driving me nuts!

      Thank you again. It’s always great to hear what others have done.
      Ness xx

      Reply

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