Rowantree Designs 'The Fete Dress' #25

When I opened the mail box this week and saw this happy little Spring Fair pamphlet , it immediately put a smile on my face and put me in such a happy mood.  I have always loved going to Spring Fairs, as a little girl I remember being very excited about going to the school fete with my mum.  My mum the fashion stylist and designer to only me, would run up (as she would say) one of her fete dress creations, give me a special hair do and put some coins in my shiny handbag and off we'd go.  It was such a social occasion, all the families from the school and local community lending in a hand, dads on the sausage sizzle, mums on cake stands and the big kids managing the games.  Mum always wanted to hit the White Elephant Stall (now referred to as the bric a brac stall) first to get best dibs at the good stuff as she would brag to my Aunts.  Me, I always had three things in mind, a toffee apple, a Kewpie doll on a stick and a cup cake.  

This is me on the right standing with my cousin Laura,  me with quiff on top of my head and the big  bows in the curly ponies.  I remember this dress, I remember it being really prickly and by the end of the day after the toffee apple, the cupcake and a few pony rides I would be feeling very uncomfortable.

So with all these happy thoughts bouncing around inside my head, a big smile on my face, humming a merry tune I spent the afternoon in my studio running up a Fete Dress.   I love the granny inspired floral print, especially the purple and green colour palette it has such a real retro feel.  The shoulder frill and  pocket (perfect for little fete treasures) are made from a piece of fabric from my vintage stash.  I have a button jar filled to the brim with old buttons and I'm yet to sort a couple of buttons for the front yoke and maybe one each for the pockets.

I can just imagine this little dress at the fete next weekend.  Colourful, cool and comfortable, running  here and there, the pockets filled with little treasures and sticky little fingers.

Thank you for sharing my wonder down memory lane and I love to hear what you think of my Fete Dress and what you might put your little ones in to wear to the Spring Fair.

Fave Raves 'Kids Crazy Island Tea Party' #24

I love my city of Sydney the way she throws outstanding free events for all to enjoy.  This month  the sailor and I enjoyed the 'Night Noodle Markets' picnicked on the beach at 'Breakfast at Bondi'  and this weekend we are off with some friends to the 'Kids Crazy Island Tea Party'  all events a part of the 'Crave International Food Festival.

So don't be late for this very important date! 

This is the last weekend.

The Kids’ Crazy Island Tea Party takes in two sessions each day - 9.00am to 12.45pm including the ferry ride from Campbell’s Cove and again at 1.00pm to 4.45pm including the ferry ride.

Campbell’s Cove is the paved region situated between the waterfront restaurants and the Harbour. It’s located in the middle of The Rocks (north of Overseas Terminal).

While the kids are running about Goat Island make sure they keep a sharp eye out for Alice, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Dormouse because that is the type of party goer attracts. Because The Enchanted Tea Party will feature teacups and giant rabbits.

And speaking of all things foodie, at the Sparkle Cupcakery Factory kids will be encouraged to give full rein to their imaginations in decorating their very own cupcake under the watchful eye, and encouragement of a Sparkle Chef.

Have fun!

Bedroom Sharing Ideas #24

Just when I thought that Rowan's Room was just about finished a huge thought went ca-lunk in my head, a thought with wings and a long beak usually carrying a sling with a smiley baby in it!  My house is on the large side, but I can't justify using up every available guest room to turn into a nursery, so when the time comes (I hope not too soon) I will redecorating.
My eldest daughters, Peta and Lauren shared a room for all of their baby, toddler and primary school years and probably up to year eight.  Single beds became bunk beds, back to single beds.  A dividing wardrobe, a dividing curtain, beds with curtains, bed tents, the girls were very creative in dividing up the space and what fun they had.  It was too easy having the two girls share a room the only thing that really got in the way was the barbie doll collection, Peta wanted hers to have the long flowing hair and Lauren wanted to make them all clones of Annie Lennox. 
Luckily they both loved Ken Done and agreed to paint the walls, all four of them and the single beds  hot pink.  How 80's!

Thankfully we are here gleefully in the decorating savvy 2000's.  No more Ken Done, no more pine furniture shops.  We have IKEA

Fresh white palette, modern and classic

 Turquoise floor and the contrast bed covers, nice!

Wallpaper and funky cupboard give an illusion of division

Eclectic,my heart goes out to the wooden bed

Retro wall paper and IKEA beds

A clever use of coordinating wallpaper and more IKEA furniture 

Love this lots of treasures and wall art

Very cute indeed

Now we are really talking a dorm right in your very own house!

What are your bedroom sharing stories?

The Scarf Top. It Goes Around And Around And Around #23

Good morning, such grey weather today in Sydney but you wouldn't think so in this picture taken outside my house this morning.  Well the reason for this picture is all about the 'Scarf Top'.  You wouldn't call this scarf top Haute Couture but you could call it Haute Bo ho I suppose.  I  purchased this top in Auckland maybe five years ago.  I didn't design or make it, so I feel it has some real cred to it.  It must have been the paisley print that did it for me.  

So what about the style?  It's a great way to jazz up and make a tee look a little flirtatious.  It's a wearable accessory, nice drape neck which softens the hard edge of the tee.  

 It's one of those pieces that hangs around in your wardrobe until you are tired of it and then you palm it off onto somebody else singing it's fashionable virtues.  

 Well I did just that, I sang it's glory right into my daughter Lauren's wardrobe where it happily stayed for quite some time.

 Until recently I found it in the wardrobe in the guest bedroom.  Well it didn't get there itself.  So today I picked it out of the wardrobe and thought I would give it a turn in the wardrobe of my friend Lyndal, it's definitely her colour and she does wear lots of tee and jeans.  Perfect I'll drop it over later.  In the meantime I'll just give it a spin around the house.  What happened next nearly altered the fate of the scarf top moving over to Lyndals.

"Wow you look great this morning, I love that top"  said the Sailor.

Why is it when you want my man to give me the eye when I'm wearing  wearing something REALLY great he gives it to you when I'm wearing the scarf top.  

MY DILEMMA........should it stay or should it go now?  

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Boys Pj's 'Call Me Old Fashioned' #22

Call me old fashioned, but if I woke up and caught a glimpse of myself in those hideous pj's I throw a tantrum too!  I will admit that I really can't take to these brighter than bright sticky plastic motif in your face, jailhouse pyjamas.  When Peta arrived with Rowan this morning wearing this pj outfit it put me right off my cup of tea.

Bye, bye mum and Rowan is stripped of the pj's.  Then it occurred to me that the many times we had shopped for Rowan we found it near impossible to find a, let's say, subdued sleeping outfit.

When my girls were toddlers I made day pj's for them.  In summer I made comfy and cool lightweight  lawn nighties with matching bloomers.  If Rowan were a girl I'd do the same but he is a boy and a big one at that.  I spoke to my friend Lyndal today about my dilemma, she said "For goodness sake Roberta, he only sleeps in them,  nobody sees him!  What's wrong with slipping up to Target this afternoon and buying him a couple of pairs of pj's."  

"Definitely not, I am opposed to bold and ugly, bright and stripe, superhero and disney character and not to forget skull motif in your face interlock pj's.  Not in my house anyway" 

I'll have to make them.  

Something like this perhaps!

or this....

Or buy something like this..... 

or this......

Huckleberry Lane

I'd love to hear your views on my pj's dilemma or see your handmade originals.

The Whimiscal Paper World of Jennifer Collier #21

Looking for something whimsical, handmade and unique to gift a friend of mine in the UK,  I am more than over the moon bouncing around in my chair in my studio, to have found these 'words can't describe' amazing pieces of paper art by 'Jennifer Collier'.  Jennifer creates work from paper by bonding, waxing and stitching unusual and vintage maps, patterns and books to make paper fabrics.  My friend Amanda is having a baby girl very, very soon,  I do think that the music dress will add a touch of melody to her baby nursery.  I could look at these for hours and don't they make my heart melt.

PARTY TIME "Rowantree is dressing the little ones in sweet styles" #20

Party time is just around the corner,  Christmas gatherings, summer birthday parties and the lovely back yard barbeque's,  you can really go to town and dress your little ones in Rowantree sweet style.

These pretty, summer party dresses for girls and handsome shorts and shirts for boys are a glimpse of what will be featuring on the launch of the new Rowantree Design Website just in time for Christmas!

Vintage Yellow Roses

Red Mini Gingham

Pink Mini Gingham

Jennifer in French Vintage Floral

Classic Boys Shirt and Clayton Shorts

Clayton Shorts

For all enquiries please contact Roberta at roberta@rowantree.com.auroberta@rowantree.com.au

A New Spotty Romper and a love of Vintage Chairs #18

Hurray I have finished production of Rowantree's newest, spottiest and totally quirky romper and what a perfect day for modelling them!  I love to style the Rowantree collection around pieces of vintage furniture, I love chairs and have been collecting a few over the years.  

The Rowan Romper is easy to wear and comfy for hot days like today.  Available in size 0 - 2 

 Chairs on walls or doors for that matter.

What do you think of these!

For all enquiries about the Rowan Romper please email me roberta@rowantree.com.au