Rowantree Designs Loves 'Down That Little Lane'

Down that Little Lane is hands down one of my favourite online stores and it's stacked with unique and gorgeous things big and small and something for every budget.  Just browsing this super friendly site is fun and inspiring.  Pop in and out of the  many stores  that stock a wide range of products and online  services, you will be amazed at what you will find .  And here I am, I have a little store,  and I am over the moon to have a small collection of Rowantree Designs on Tessa's  lovely site.  I must congratulate Tessa , her fabulous style shines,  every product looks so desirable , and the site is so user friendly, you'll have a cart full of fabulous gifts in no time.  So, go and grab yourself a cuppa and head on over.  Enjoy!

Three Handsome Little Dudes

Three Handsome Little Rompers

I'm jumping for joy today the sun is shining and we are hanging out in the back garden.  A perfect day for me to take a few shots with the new camera and show off these little dudes.  The rompers are so popular, I think they make the wee man look very handsome indeed.  These little dudes are new and will be in the Rowantree online store this week. 
The sailor gets a laugh when I talk about my Rowantree pieces, he laughs at the fact that I always have names for them, and chat to them whilst making them.  It's a beautiful thing making things by hand.  I know  the seams are all straight, the buttons are nice and sturdy and that when you look inside,  everything is neat and tidy.  When I pop them in the bag and post them off to a lucky little person, I know that mum can wash them over and over again and they will be as good as new!  

Children's Decor 'More vintage Inspiration'

More vintage inspiration....

thea's mania

I dream about creating rooms like this and I would be in heaven if I had a little shop somewhere in the inner west of Sydney, in a quirky little space.  How beautifully I would style my clothing collection with all my vintage bits and pieces.  I love chatting to people so I could do lots of that and I love to decorate so I would really enjoy doing lots of that, best.  I am always looking around the place for that little shop and often sigh and tell the sailor.  "Right I'm getting the shop"  and he says.  "Okay Hon".     I still don't have the shop so I go around putting mannequins throughout the house styling them in different outfits and taking pictures of them.  Funny if you dropped over today you swear you were in a shop and I would love it if you just happened to drop by and say hi.  I would love to show you all my bits and pieces.

Which one of these darling rooms is your favourite?

Rowan's Room 'Celebrating Australia Day'

Rowan and  I celebrated Australia Day by jazzing up his room with this fabulous retro map of Australia.  It's been waiting in the attic for a wall opportunity, and today it made it's debut.  I love this map, I've loved it since I was in the third grade.  I fell in love with the bold colours, of the states and the idyllic blue of the Pacific Ocean.  I can't wait to tell Rowan how lucky he is to be born in this wonderful, big bold country, show him the big city names in black type, the vast desserts and the most southerly latitude on the earth, the line that runs right through the middle of our county, the Tropic of Capricorn. I can't wait to read him stories from the dream time, of 'How the moon got in the sky', tales of great tall ships that sailed proudly into our safe harbours and bought people from foreign lands.  I can't wait to tell him  of the bush rangers, Ned Kelly and his gang, and the explorers and pioneers who opened up the vast rugged land and so on and so on......

And this is what I've made Rowan to wear tomorrow when he waves his little Australian flag in salute to our lucky country!

Happy Australia Day!

Vintage map artwork, Mondo Cherry

Birthday @ Bells

Firstly I'd like to thank all you lovely gals for sending me birthday wishes, each and every one of your comments heightened the birthday getaway excitement.  The getaway, being one night staying at the very beautiful 'Bells at Killcare'.  

We left Sydney in a flurry, all plans of leaving early gone astray,  the crazy poodles got a wiff of us packing the car jumped in and wouldn't get out.   I couldn't decide on what to wear, and what shoes to take and then sailor deciding to get a hair cut five minutes before leaving the house (I did wonder why, when it's not his birthday and he hardly has any hair to start with)  But then it dawned on me,  he wasn't  taking any chances that their might be a little romance in store. Cute!

So here I am, a ninety minute drive north of Sydney and this is Killcare Beach.  This is coast line that the rest of the world dream about, miles of sand, blue sea and  foaming waves.   Killcare area encompasses both the beach and bay and is blanked by the Bouddi National Park.  There are a few great little cafes at Killcare, my favourite is 'The Point Cafe' which is above the Killcare Surf Club.  What more could a birthday girl want on a beautiful day like this, a very cold glass of NZ  Sauvignon Blanc and a bucket of prawns......Delicious.

Bells.........Jealously gorgeous lawns. 

View from the veranda. 

Did I bring that book? Was I reading 'The Great Gatsby'

 I love these Jamie Drury Chairs, hugely popular and have been featured in every glossy this summer, it's just a pity they are always out of stock.  

I wasn't expecting this.  I was really excited.  Little mini houses.

Come inside.  

Relax, unwind, enjoy...., just for five minutes, the day is scooting away and I want to try out the Jamie Drury chairs read a page of my book, have a swim in the pool and check out the day spa.

You make me happy when skies are grey blue, especially with a gin and tonic.

So this is my outfit, I do apologise, in all the wardrobe flurry this morning I didn't pack the appropriate bra  or bring a safety pin........But I'm going to kick my heels up anyway!

Dress Lucette. Heels Gary Castle

A spankingly crisp dining room....

A romantic table for two on the verandah with of these very posh martinis (just for show) .......feeling pretty dam special.

The food, the service and accommodation was extraordinary, casually elegant with room for a little fun.

I enjoyed the best birthday ever, waking up smiling, all is great in this life of mine. 

Don't be afraid to go out on a limb.  it's where all the fruit is!

(Shirley Maclaine)

And these are my fabulous and bestest presents ever in my life.  

Chosen with love.......from the ones I love

 Leica D-Lux 5 because if I'm not snapping I'm not happening.

Birthday Card Sweets Workshop, Summer Hill, because I support hand made, beautiful things.

Frankie magazine subscription, I'm trying to stay cool.

Popojo Jewellery because I wear it every day of my life.

 If you got to the end of this blog, thank you!

Birthday Getaway

It's my birthday.  Yeah!  The  sailor and I are headed off to somewhere really special , we have packed a bag and set the alarm.  I'm not missing a minute of this.  I'm loving where I am right now.  I embrace the knowledge and confidence I wished I had when I was thinking that  fifty was really old.  I love the fact that I can make a decision and be done with it.  I laugh, I eat, I drink and I still dance on the table.

Happy birthday to me!

Toy Storage and A New Old Train For Rowan's Room

With all the toys that have been gathering over here at Nana's house, I needed to find a storage solution for Rowan's room.  I just can't help myself, a trip to IKEA is in order, just to have a little look see and okay I'll admit that I'm eager to digest one of those disgusting hot dogs that I swear will never again touch my lips each time I visit.

Found it!  The IKEA PS is just the perfect solution,  it fits three Branas so I can rotate the toys around, it's lockable (if I don't loose the key), has an edgy industrial look which works well with the other eclectic pieces in his room, I love the fact that it is made of metal and can use magnets to put up photographs at his eye level and it is the best platform for Rowan's new old vintage train and carriages.  Isn't he handsome.  Definitely handmade in the fifties with a few wheel renovations perhaps in the seventies.  Note the smoke chimney on the engine has been chewed by some lovable canine.

Tell me, does anybody else love to eat the hot dogs at IKEA.

A First for Rowan 'Icecream on a stick'

This week Rowan had his 12 month immunisation and afterwards stopped by Nana's house for a swim.  I was quite surprised that he was his normal happy, gadabout self and as usual, more interested in the crazy poodles than his welted up thighs......until, a struggle with the ball, and Hugo gave a friendly little nip!  Well,  it was Hugo's ball and Rowan was tugging at his tail.  There were tears, Hugo was shown the door, and Nana found an ice cream.............

Man that was good...............................

Nautical Wednesday

Back into the swing.  It's Wednesday sailing and tonight I race our boat "Incahoots" around Sydney Harbour in a fleet of around eighty boats, mostly ruffty tuffty blokes with a sprinkling of gal skippers like myself at the helm.  After all these years of doing the Wednesday night races I still have the Wednesday wardrobe catastrophes.   Yes the crew wear a uniform, navy sailing shorts and a white or navy polo shirt with the 'Incahoots' logo and yes  I have all the team gear, matching vests, jackets etc, of course I do, I was the one who designed the crew gear, logo colours etc.  But I really want to look different, add my own flair, stand out from the fleet when I'm bringing that big girl down wind and ready to shoot the mark. If  any of you girls out there sail you will know exactly what I mean.  Women's sailing gear is dull and boring....

See what I mean...Big Stripes, No shape, No Style, Not Flattering!

I'd love a wardrobe like this

Walk down the dock in this

 Wear this over my gloves

 Have these on my feet

Strut this at the podium 

this ye

The Hungry Caterpillar Party for Rowan's First Birthday Bash!

It all started with a very hungry baby, Rowan, who just about ate everything he could see.  We aptly nicked named him 'The Hungry Caterpillar' and from an early age we knew his first birthday would be a hungry caterpillar party.  Our very own little hungry caterpillar boy, wearing his very own Rowan Romper in Spotty Spots

I hung spotted fabric over a brick wall as a backdrop for the story boards we made of pictures from Rowan's first year, it was so hard to choose which ones to use.  Story boards made a great talking point, we used two large canvases and wasabi tape.  Don't they look impressive!

The homemade party hat's were very easy to make, we started with a plan yellow cone hat and made the caterpillars and the birthday boy butterfly using the pictures from the book as a guide.

An amazing beautiful sunny sky and the the lush green lawn was the perfect picnic spot for little ones to enjoy their day.  Several weeks ago I started sewing the bunting all one hundred and seventy five triangles............but don't they look smashing

I put out a selection of vintage chairs with helium balloons.....cute

Hmmm these cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches were a hit

Fruit stars, chocolate strawberries, icy little jellies were delicious treats on such a warm day........

Now for the drum roll....

Alison Lawson Cakes

Happy little caterpillar cupcakes...not only do they look delicious they were very yummy 

The Star of the Show

When Alison delivered the cake on Friday afternoon I was on the phone calling my friends demanding they drop by to see the spectacle of a cake.  We all stood around having a few glasses of bubbles admiring it beauty

Hmmm hurry up, we live in anticipation to see it inside and taste it

Just scrumptious....

The cookie wands each one so perfect in detail........A fabulous idea for a party favour

A tired little caterpillar opens his presents.......

And sadly all his little friends have gone home

his first birthday party is over

or 

is 

it

Apparently it just got started