In My Life 'Sewing a Tunic Dress'

Today I am running up a couple of tunic dresses,  I say this running up, as this is how my mother referred to sewing, "just running something up"   As a Small child I found this very confusing speak,  wondering if she was suddenly going to run up the wall or run up the street clutching on to something?  But later when I figured it out , this running up meant she was going to sew something, whether it be a couture bridal outfit, a tailored suit or a set of new curtains for my brothers kombi van, she would unveil the Singer sewing machine......

Back in my 'big white house days' you can read about them here and here, my mother, grand mere and aunts all very stylish fashionista's, worked he latest styles and the tunic and slack suit were pretty hip! 

 My mother wore her hair as no. 1 She had one of those hair pieces which lived on a polytsyrene head. It was really freaky when you are really small!

I call these the Englebert Humperdink suits, look here, you'll see what I mean.....

Getting back to my sewing........I just love a tunic style dress, that you can scoot around in summer with a pair of gorgeous flats and in winer layer it with a long sleeve tee over a pair of jeans......  It's just my kind of cruising mode and I also love his look for little girls.  

There are quite a few Japanese pattern books you can buy, I drop into Tessutti's frequently and they have a good range, I don't buy them just for the patterns, they are just so visually beautiful and lovely to have in your favourite book nook. 

 I'm not using any one pattern today.  I am going to style it as I go, I'll see how it fits and looks as it starts taking shape.  I have two pieces of liberty fabrics, both navy of course, I find it hard to move away from navy.  I shop for my liberty fabrics at Calico and Ivy in Balmain, a craft haven filled to the brim with exquisite fabrics, yarns, and Sarah and her clever staff will happily chat to you about any craft project you are doing.

I am liking this Sew Liberated Pattern 'Schoolhouse Tunic'  and I will leaning on this for the overall look!  I think t his Liberty fabric will be perfect to wear around the fibro shack.



Well I had better get started but before I do, I am going to make a pot of tea and pop on over to my lovely friend Anna's blog to see the pair of stylish and cozy socks she is knitting for me, they will look fabulous with ankle boots with the tunic.  Big kisses and hugs coming your way Anna!
And hen I'm popping over here for some online window shopping therapy, just the mention of hand knitted socks and a gorgeous pair of ballet flats has distracted me.

Have a wonderful day!

In My Life 'Rock the Poncho'

Brrrrr. How cold is it today lovelies?  I have the slow cooker on with a Hungarian Goulash (totally delicious)  bubbling away, the kitchen smells delicious and the house is warm and toastie.  Looking outside, it's grey skies and drizzling rain.  Pooh!  Rowan and I have to brave it I, we, me have an appointment to get a brief to style a gorgeous two year olds' bedroom, in a big old house in Paddington, in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.    I have so many ideas, of course it will be vintage with loads of character as this little miss and her mum are big on style.   More about that later..........
In the meantime the thought of wrapping my doona around myself before I brave the grey day is very appealing...


Vision.........

Chanel, don't I look great

I need a poncho!!! ASAP

A colourful and cosy poncho is perfect for a day like today.  The brights to brighen your day and the cozy part to make braving it bearable!  AND the poncho has been making it's way back on the catwalk for A/W 12....I've browsed the net looking at some possibilites.......

Sportsgirl

Sportsgirl

Little Joe Woman  My favourite, and sadly not in the budget

Chloe  I would die for this (well not really die)  pretend I don't like it at all, so totally not in the budget.

I think making one will be loads of fun so here a few crochet patterns here and some knitted patterns here but I'm leaning towards sewing this pattern here, super easy and I can make one for every day of the week.  I'll keep you posted!

In My Life 'In A Weekend and Mondayitis'

Are you feeling a touch of Mondayitis today, I sure am!  How was that fabulous Sydney weather?  Did anybody visit the Vivid Festival?   I took a sneak peek when I decided to drive up to the beach shack late Friday evening.  Wow!    

I made three crochet hexagons for the pillow cover, turned knee cover, turning bed cover.  A lovely work in progress.........

A gorgeous friend of mine made me 'Rosie'  She is having a holiday up at the beach.

I hung these two prints in bedroom two and this is the quilt cover that I have chosen....I still want to add a few more quirky touches, I'll add as I go along, the joy of finding the bits and pieces is so much fun. Have a peek here at  the before.

I resurrected my vintage Chloe boots last week and took them for a walk along the beach at Killcare.

I love his beach house, tucked in amongst the native plants on the side of the hill.

A quick bit to eat at my favourite cafe 'The Point' at Killcare Surf Life Saving Club.  These girls had a big night and were having a recovery breakfast, they were hilarious and I had to take a pic of them.  I love the neon Sass and Bide jumper and the Karen Walker sunnies the gorgeous girl in the middle is showing off!  Hi girls, I do hop you pop on over to  the blog and say hi!

These are my Big W red jeans, I posted last week.  How good do they look!  This is the green sheet, it tells you your handicap for the day's race.  

This is Diago, a South American tourist I picked up on the dock.  He wanted to try his hand at sailing on Sydney Harbour, we are a friendly crew on 'Incahoots', so we showed him the ropes.

Have a great week.  What are your plans! Rowan and I are off to the shack today, the concrete man, is coming to start  his work.  Tomorrow I am sewing a new tunic for myself, using a beautiful piece of liberty fabric. This week I also have plans to catch up with a friend to meet her new bub.  Cutting out fabric pieces for the beginnings of a new quilt.  We have a daughter moving back home (OMG) Tuesday night and the youngest of our girl tribe is arriving from over the ditch on Thursday night for a holiday......AND......I will be fitting in a few posts.   

In My Life 'Wallpaper, It's a Lark'

Happy Friday!  My Friday is always fraught with manic thoughts of 'Oh My God, what am I going to do?'.  'What project am I on today..... the fibro shack is almost complete and there is no urgent rush to motor on up the F3 with a task at hand and my little guy is at his on campus, day care (hope he is not having too much fun without me) which leaves me wrestling with SPARE TIME!!!!!!!!!

Well so everybody thinks!  But being such a super organised gal I have already pre planned for today's spare time...........I will be having a bit of a play around with a photographer and some wallpaper sytling a magazine photo shoot this afternoon.  

As you know I have never been afraid of the wow factor,  and I think a good dose of bright, happy, in your face cheerfulness adds colour and zing to your day.  Goodbye coloured feature walls and hello motif wallpapers, especially these hip happening range of Studio Ditte wallpapers available from cutest online store around town, Lark. 

Porcelain

Cars

Buttons

Scrapwood.

Now that I have you staring at your blank walls pop on over and drool over this range of unique and bold statement wallpapers by he extraordinary talented Brit, Deboroh Bowness.

And if your feeling totally off the wall, you need to have a browse on over here at another artistic Brit, Andrew Martin's punchy wallpapers.....

A good dose of bright and happy. 

Sydney Based Designer Mark Cawood's  Publisher Textiles 'Botanica'  

Publisher Textiles photo shoot, 2006.  Model, over it!

If you haven't checked out Rowan's room here or here at Nan's big house, pop on over and see his great big, world map, wall sticker from the Wall Sticker Company , whilst you are there have a look around his room,  as I am planning some changes in there.........

Have a wonderful weekend !

Rowantree Design 'New Shirts for Rowan'

I can't resist a little man wearing great threads and a hip happening shirt gets me at first glance......It doesn't matter where I am, I am always on the look out for well dressed, little guys.  Last week I made five shirts for Rowan and a couple of corduroy dacks.  I love choosing fabrics for his shirts that are a bit out there thankfully he is too young to negotiate with his wardrobe yet.  I love to dress him up when we head out for the day, I get loads of comments which makes me feel very proud of my little dude!
Rowan is almost seventeen months, his first birthday seems so long ago and look at him modelling this shirt, how he has changed and oh so quickly, there is not a day that goes by when I don't take a photograph, how I wish I could bottle a little of him each day as well.

Rowantree Designs "Meet My Bella"

Bella 'Fleur'

Bella 

Well hello, seems like ages since I've been here, and I have honestly missed hearing from you.  It's not because I have been enjoying these magnificent sunny days, I have been sewing two new styles for my online shop.  This new style 'Bella' I love, my inspiration, vases over flowing with vibrant pink and red blooms .  I wanted to design a very feminine old worldy smock with big puffy sleeves to create that baby doll feel.  I made Bella in two fabrics, a dusky pink floral and an intense deep red geo floral on a chocolate background, which is my favourite as it has more of a vintage feel. I love the way each fabric has dictated a different look.  Pop on one of the Rowantree Collection organic cotton cardigans...and Tres' Bella!   Let out a deep sigh.....Sooooooo cuute!

Love her too?

The Fibro Beach Shack 'A Yellow Beach House'

Finally the house exterior paint  is complete and I am jumping for joy.  I love the colour, it sings sunshine and happiness.  I think she looked moody and dull  here when I first bought her.

 Street view.  The  carport trellis and picket fence are begging me to paint them.  See my treasured little gate, last seen here.  The facing bedroom window is looking somewhat in need of an accessory.  A retro styled fixed aluminium awning will be perfect and I was so surprised when I found somebody to make me one.  The large gum tree has to be removed, and that is proving quite a task as the branches overhang the power lines and that involves having the power shut down....I am the talk of the town!

And finally the landscaping............of course when the tree is removed...and it's going to be a stunning planting of colour, a meandering little path and a bird bath.

 Ahh the patio.  Drenched in morning sun, this outdoor room will be a haven for a delicious cup of tea and a magazine.   

Ta Da..........How do you think the stripe wall looks now!  This is my to die for, original French vintage poster, designed by Pierre Fix Masseau. It seems the more I look at the poster the more I feel, see and admire it.  The teapot, vase, wine bottle and glass, the orange chair if you can see it and of course the cut glass, wine tumbler, so poignant of day to day living.  It's just bloody beautiful. So what do you think of the strip

Happy days in the shack Pierre! 

I Want, I Want, I Want.....'Dream On'

I am speechless, this picture happened upon me today and I was gasping for air.  Man this is fashion, this is God like, this is me, this jacket rocks.   I want, I want, I want!!!!  If you want to see more of the fabulous Chanel for 2012/2013 pop on over here, sit back and dream on.................

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day Lovelies

The Fibro Beach Shack' The Adirondack Chairs'

Apparently one must have  'Adirondack' chairs at there beach houses.  Naturally not a girl who wants to miss out on anything, I went searching for them.  Firstly I tried Ebay and  Gumtree, then visited a few of my favourite old wares, junk and antique stores, they old ones are like hens teeth.  I really wanted one that had been loved and showed some character. (basically the budget is starting to look a bit grim and I am eeking out the money in dribs and drabs, looking for a bargain here and there.  

These Adirondack chairs have quite a history, here, and when I googled Adirondack retail Sydney, I came up with all kinds of versions of the Adirondack, varying in shape, size and price range, available in flat packs, custom orders etc. etc. etc.  Definitely no more flat packs at the this stage of the project, I'm over the alan key.  Enter Jamie Drury........Jamie (gardener to the stars)  has a range of not too shabby patio, and garden furniture available at Big W, and to my surprise he does a version of the Adirondack, and I could buy it on line and have it delivered, so Jamie at $198 each, you got me at, on line and home delivery...............................

The chairs arrived promptly on the day and time I was quoted, I was so happy with the whole internet experience, doing a little dance in my front garden as the men carried the boxed chairs and even put them in the back of my car.   Yahoooo.  Up to the fibro beach shack they were bound and stayed in their boxes the stayed until the deck was complete.  Deck complete, I opened the box and proudly set my collapsible (? great for storage) Adirondack chairs on the deck.  Is it me or is it you?  Do those chairs look slightly grey?  Each time a friend popped in I would ask these two questions.  Same answer. Yes they are greyish, but, but the box says white.  I immediately climbed on the roof (the only place I can get Internet and phone service, so if you call me and I don't answer my phone, call again and give me time to get up on the roof) I search Big W 'Adirondack chair' and here it is telling me the colour is OYSTER WHITE, that can't be right, I swear it just said white when I purchased them on line.  Long story short. They used to come in white when I ordered mine..la, la, la.....but the new shipment came in oyster white and I happened to get two of the new shipment.  

I am really, really disappointed, they just look grey and they definitely can't stay grey....so here is my opportunity to paint them a bright, retro colour or paint them white.

 Bright and bold......

 Retro hues as opposed to white

 Pastels

 I can't remember where I sourced this picture from, I just love it, the fabric is so wonderfuly floral.  have had it on my desktop for such a long time.  I am thinking of making myself one to twirl  around the fibro shack when I have guests, much more stylish then a snuggy in winter!

Should I paint the chairs white or do I go for a colour?