Today, Mic and I went for a day out, and found ourselves in the beautiful, historic town of Evandale. I had been wanting to go out there for a while now because of this store – The Villiage Store, and it did not disappoint!
This gorgeous, National Heritage Register listed store is still fitted out how it was built in 1843. The shelves, counters, everything…original. It’s perfection. This stunning store is owned by the amazing Carolyn Imalch who owns Est Australia…you probably know of her amazing hand rolled soaps that make any of her stockists stores smell divine!
It was like stepping back in time- beautiful, natural cleaning products, cloths and tools, natural fibres in clothing and decor, kitchen pieces all with a beautiful form and function, local jams and preserves and so, so much more. Carolyn has kept the traditional function of The Village Store, and sells sweets that I remember buying from the jar as a child, newspapers, magazines, Tasmanian ice cream, and you can even get a coffee in there!
The whole store is laid out so well on beautiful old dressers and tables. I honestly could have fossicked through the curated pieces for hours…but Mic was waiting 😂. This very old child’s bowling game in it’s beautiful wooden box caught my eye while we were there as well as an amazingly big wicker basket that you could have fit a few people in! I thought it would be perfect for firewood.
It was the perfect day for it, we finally got some rain…not a lot, but it was still so nice to see. We had lunch and just wandered through antique stores and the like. It was lovely.
One thing is for sure though, I’m definitely coming back to The Village Store very soon!
If you run your own creative business, or maybe you know someone who does, you’ve probably heard/thought this over time – should I give this all up now? Is this as far as I can go? Does anyone even like what I am doing anymore?
It’s something most creatives have thought at some point or another. I know a lot of creatives who have thought this over the years that I have been running my own creative business, and I always thought “How can you walk away from something you’ve poured your heart and soul into?”
Well, that was until last week, when I had the same thoughts. I was in a bit of a creative rut, wondering if I should try something totally different like a 9am to 5pm office job…I really did. I even had some courses that I could study online sent through to me! You’re probably either thinking I’m nuts, get where I’m coming from, or you agree I should do it.
Let me just say this though…I’m feeling a little bit better this week. Last week was one of those weeks. To top it off, my kiln died, right when I was on track with all of my pre orders…maybe that was the last straw that week, I don’t know. I adore doing what I do. It’s all I’ve ever been content doing, but I feel like I need a change…something new.
So, how do you know when its time to pack up and move on? I asked another creative this very question – she almost slapped me for even thinking about it, but she totally knew where I was coming from and said she thinks about it now and then.
Ive also got another friend who has a retail store and online store, and the feel was the same- “Sometimes you just need a break to step away and do something completely different, but you know your heart lies with your brand and what you create”. This friend actually moved house, and closed her retail store to focus on just the online part. I have another friend that just quit it all together to work in retail.
It’s definitely something that happens a lot, and the more I talk to creative friends (even if they don’t run their own business), I hear similar things. So, I’ve come up with this-
Take at least one day for yourself – no children, partner etc, just you. Go and do something that’s just for you. It could be to visit a friend for lunch, a day out at the shops, haircut, whatever- just for you.
Try and have a set time you finish work – as creatives, our brains are always ‘on’. For me this is locking the studio up once the boys are home from school. It gives me time with them and I can potter about the house/garden. I’m not tempted at all to sneak back in the studio once I’ve locked up for the day.
Set realistic expectations of yourself- sometimes we just want to say “yes” to every order request that comes our way. You’re so happy to have people love your work, and you feel bad for saying no, even though you are swamped in work. It’s added pressure that can stifle a creative flow. Learn to say “no” sometimes.
Go outside – even better, have your lunch outside. I try not to eat in my studio. Ill come up to the farmhouse to make my lunch and eat it on the veranda.
There’s lots more things you could do, but I’ve found that most of the time these things work for me. This week though, to help me get out of this creative slump (and while I await my kiln part to arrive), I have been making some brand new pieces in my traditional white ware…things I have had in my design sketch books for years and years (some of those books are 19+ years old!). It’s actually put a little bit of fire back into my belly for creating again – thankfully.
So don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere yet. My love for what I have created with Marley & Lockyer is still strong, and I have lots of things I’d like to do and create with it before I’m completely ready for an office job.
I’d love to hear any thoughts on this topic. You can either leave a comment here, Instagram, Facebook, or email.
A few weeks ago, I visited Bread + Butter (a new bakery/cafe) in Cimitere St, Launceston with my friend for lunch, and loved it! After our lunch we had one of their white chocolate/cranberry and walnut cookies…and they were so yum!
So, once I returned home I was determined to make something that resembled them. I also made some with macadamias too.
I have this basic cookie recipe that can be many versions- choc chip, macadamia and honey….the combinations are endless! It’s a very generous sized mixture too, so will make 12 huge cookies, 24 normal sized cookies, or 50 small ones.
So, here are my White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies
Once you’ve been got the basic dough mixed together, it’s just a matter of adding the cranberries and white chocolate bits, and mix together SO SIMPLE! And, this time of year, I’m all about simple.
WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CRANBERRY COOKIES
You will need-
2 & 1/2 cups of plain flour
1 teaspoon bi carb
250gms butter (soft)
2/3 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup of caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
2 eggs
A few handfuls of dried cranberries, and a few handfuls of white chocolate bits
Preheat oven to 160C, and place butter and sugar into a mixing bowl. Beat together for a few minutes, add eggs, vanilla and mix until it turns a little pale.
Add dry flour and bicarb and mix until combined, then add a few handfuls of cranberries, and a good few handfuls of white chocolate and mix together.
Using a desert spoon, put good sized blobs onto a tray lined with baking paper, you can add extra chunk of chocolate and cranberries at this stage if you feel like they need a bit more.
Then bake for about 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire tray, or eat them while their warm!
Let me know if you try them…or any other combinations too! ~Ness X
Yesterday I shared this photo on my Instagram feed of our living room mantel, and I had so many messages asking where I got the garland from so, I thought I’d share it all here
…it cost a total of $9!
Here’s how I made it…
I started with this basic basic faux garland from Kmart. It’s a great base to start with, however, I wouldn’t use it on its own. It’s really sparse, and very fake looking.
So, I went out into the garden and down to the paddocks to gather up some greenery. I got some pine branches, some gumnuts, and some of this long leaf native.
First up, I used some clear mapping pins to fix the faux garland onto the mantel piece, and ‘fluffed’ up the wire branches to be able to support the real greenery I was putting in. Then it was just a matter of adding the greenery in. I started with the pine along the ends, then the gumnuts to fill it out more, and finally the longer leafed native. I just tucked the branches under and through the wire garland. Any pieces that needed more support, I just wrapped the wire braces around the real greenery. Pretty simple really, but very effective.
Since this photo was taken yesterday, I’ve also added some copper wire lights. All in all, it was a pretty quick project. I added my white star and a cluster of candles on the other side of Mr Pickles, and our stockings, which I picked up last year from Spotlight.
For about 15 months now I’ve been searching for the perfect piece to put in our living room against a big, high wall. I’ve tried a few different pieces here…the ambulance medicine cupboard, and the $5 sideboard, but I really wanted something a bit more substantial to fill the space…an old dresser (or buffet and hutch if you like to call it that).
I stumbled across the perfect piece…or so I thought…a few days ago, and missed out on it by minutes. I was pretty annoyed, until I actually measured the space! It would have completely swamped the wall, and dominated the room.
The next day I found this piece. Half the size, and older. The top has been added later onto an earlier base.
I plan to strip the varnish off, then I’ll just give it a beeswax finish. There’s also a decorative top piece that’s been added very recently. I’m not into that, so it will come off too to reveal the nice beveled edge detail of the shelving piece. New knobs will, also go on.
First off though, I had to bring it inside to see whether it actually did fit the space…and to have a play. I love it! It looks great with a few of my antique Scottish Ale bottles on it. I plan to put a few of my plates and bowls on too…but I don’t want to overcrowd it.
The old medical trunk, I picked up at The Vintage Rose in Launceston, and my collection of Scottish and English wool blankets come from here and Scotland.
On the wall to the left i’m thinking of adding some of my antique Roe Deer antlers.
It’s bringing the feel of the farmhouse that I had always envisioned in my head together.
I’m not one to make spur of the moment purchases (hence the 15 month search for this piece), and I don’t like buying newly made furniture pieces. Vintage and antique to me is so timeless, and as you might know, I don’t follow trends…only buying things that I love. Sometimes that will include a few new decor items, but again, I don’t buy what’s the latest thing in the current big box store catalog. Sticking to my core palette of linen, touches of black and grey, and anchored with loads of white has always served me well. Stone, wool, wood, glass, wire and wicker has always been my physical palette.
So, what do you think? I love it. It will just get better once that varnish comes off too.
