A Bear just like Big Ted

How could you not fall in love with a handsome guy like this.  I found him proudly sitting on a chair at the Maisie May stall at Mathilda's Market on Sunday.  He is made from recycled vintage chenille, he is so soft and cuddly and is sitting on my desk looking at me lovingly.


Marina the creator of all things gorgeous from Maisie May recycles the past into some very beautiful and eclectic, vintage inspired clothing and cuddly toys for children.  Pop over to Marina's etsy store to enjoy her beautiful range of collectibles.


What do you think I should name him?

May Mathilda's Market

Such a busy time last week leading up to Market Day, sewing,sewing and more sewing.  Sunday was freezing but that did not keep the stall holders away.  I featured my new and little Hazey Jane collection, little, referring to keeping production small so I can make each piece more unique and my latest little boy pant.


The night before, hanging with the props...at least Rowan portraited a calm aura.

the stall... sham bout the backdrop

new boys pants and cardigans

crochet shoe collection

Rowantree... a cute collection for Mathilda's Market

What an amazing piece of art,  an acrylic by 'Robert Juniper'.  I wish I did have time to fly a kite today but I am as busy as a bee keeping warm in my on little sweat shop...

Count down to Mathilda's Market on Sunday.  Please drop by Rowantree and say hi.  If you follow my blog I am sure to find something special under the table for you.  You will find some really special, unique and beautiful things.  

Rowantree Hazey Jane collection ready for Mathilda's Market

It's just down to the final touches, buttons trims etc for my latest collection 'Hazey Jane'.  The collection is a simple compilation of  a blouse, smock, pinafore and a pair of denims. I have had this vintage inspired floral print for some years and have loved it so much.  I just had to wait until the fabric told me what to do.  The deep olive green background with rich tones of reds and pinks are high lighted by a soft blue. I love to see children in denim, dress it up or down the fabric will take you anywhere both in the style and construction of the garment or from the park to a party.  I will have the complete range available at Mathilda's Market, Lane Cove this Saturday.  

All Rowantree Design smock dresses come with bloomers.  The size range for this collection is 0 to 3 year.

Pop over to my online store for some great bargains...I am planning a new direction for Rowantree can't wait to share it with you when I am there.  

If you comment on this blog with the a boy / girl callout and size tell me what you love about Rowantree I will pick 2 winners and send you a lovely piece from my collection.

Auckland...come visit my favourite shops

Last weekend the sailor and I crossed the ditch to catch up with family and friends in Auckland.
Love it.  Why?
bars, cafes, shopping, sailing, corn fritters, funny speak, creativity, windy days, coffee, cakes, delicious wines, tikis, art, architecture, the harbour, lots and lots of cool things to look at....

While the sailor catches up with his salty mates, I'll hit my favourite shops and cafes in Ponsonby where I know I will be spoiled for choice.


Grab a coffee as I didn't want to leave any thing out......


Flowers on Franklin Road...Divine, gorgeous, beautiful, extravagant  flowers for any occasion.

...turn left and a few steps along Ponsonby Road, I am headed to Widdess, to choose one of her eclectic feminine pieces.  I love the beautiful fabrics and her designs.  Vintage inspired dresses, floaty skirts, stylish jackets and a small unique range of jewellery.  A vintage silk fabric caught my eye and I am up one very stylish skirt.

Love toting a Widdess bag, everybody knows there is something very special inside....but a bag might not be big enough if I fall in love with any of the to die for decorative antique and collectable pieces that await me at Bashfords Antique and Interiors.

Jillian the owner, collector extrodinaire, has a magnificent eye, not only for collecting these eclectic pieces, her displays are a work of art in themselves.  Over the years I have been visiting  Bashford's I have never left feeling anything but inspired.  It's well worth a trip over the ditch if you are searching for that wow factor stand piece.


With my wish list in mind I head back up onto Ponsonby Road to look in a shop with slightly younger object's de art.  I nickname it the 'light shop' years ago as this little Aladdin's cave does not display a name.  Inside you will find 50's stuff, vinyls, kitchen canister's, lights, bar accessories, stools all sorts of cool stuff.

With the taste for a great coffee and a sweet treat, reminiscent of what my mum used to bake, I head over to Richmond Road, Grey Lyn to the Monterey Coffee Lounge, don't you just love the way the words coffee lounge just roll of your tongue ,and how very 70's, meet me at the coffee lounge.  All of a sudden I am feeling very grown up.  

Love Kitch, well pop right next door to an absolute little treasure, "Presentz"  it's all here, an exciting range of new Zealand Kitchy stuff, souvenier tea towels with tikis and maps, long neck milk shake containers, tomatoes sauce bottles, stuff, all that nicky knacky kind of stuff.  My pick the recycled blanket, tiki applique cushion, for Rowan of course.

I must visit one shop before meeting the sailor for wine time.  Peppin, a baby boutique on Jervois Road, Herne Bay.  I was all over it, just loved it.  A gorgeous space to shop.  I enjoyed meeting the creative behind the brand, Kathleen.  Kathleen like myself designs, pattern makes, cuts and sews.  I felt really inspired by Kathleen's energy.

Peppin is soley produced in New Zealand. Concentrating on natural fibres and a neutral colour palette with hand screen printed organic tee shirts, merino hoodies, cotton harem pants, and Japanese prints on the baby kimonos. 

As the sun sets I head up the road to a great little bar called Elbow's Room to meet the sailor for a wine or two.  I have had a brilliant day and have some great buys.  Sorry no picture here not pretty, as it appears that the sailor has had a fairly decent day himself!


Best finish with a pretty picture of Rowan wearing his Peppin outfit.

Up, Up and Away

Oh how they all looked so happy and gay............Qantas uniforms from the 50's to the 90's


The sailor and I are heading off to Auckland tomorrow.  Get out of bed at 6.00 am to be at the airport at 7.15am, board the plane at 8.45 am and arrive in Auckland at 2.00pm...It just doesn't add up.


Corn fritters, great coffee, lamingtons and great sav blanc in between I will be snapping a few pictures....
Have a great weekend.

A Phoebe Smock for Matilda

This is one of my faves...the 'Phoebe Smock'. I especially love the little sleeves.  I fell instantly in love with the colour palette and of course it's a paisley print.  I made this one for Matilda to wear on Mothers' Day.  I photographed it with the pearls because I know she loves to hold them between her chubby little fingers and when your not looking pop them in her mouth.  When Matilda's not all dressed up for the special occasion she can wear the smock over a pair of denims.  The phoebe smock is available on Madeit in sizes 00, 0, 1 and 2.

Explorations of the inner west of Sydney

The sailor is getting a little antsy these days, we are boatless which is not good for him, but for me, an opportunity to explore the creative and cultural community that lured me to the inner west of Sydney.   Most of the inner west has an industrial edge lending itself to great warehouse type spaces and heritage buildings that house interesting small businesses and markets.  I would love to share some of my favourite inner west places and spaces with you and hopefully lure you over to have a peek.


Last Saturday, a brilliant Sydney morning I was up early singing and making lots of noise so the sailor would emerge downstairs...


The plan....Breakfast at the Pyrmont Growers Market.  The market is open 1st Saturday of the month from 7am until 11am so you have to get up early.  Situated in Pyrmont Bay Park opposite Star City and you can take you four legged friends.  On this occasion I decided not to take the crazy poodles.


Can't resist a clear blue sky, sparkly water and the quintessential Sydney ferry

Ha!  the sailor thought the apples were actually growing on the tree

No other words than deliciously dribbly and yummy for the bacon and egg rolls

My shopping list went like this

Keis Kitchen salad and noodle sauces are so good you don't have to leave home

Coulsons totally organic and preserve free cordials and preserves

Single Origin coffee.  Love one right now!

Hydrangeas, my favourite

And here is me and behind me is our friends' boat coming to pick us and the goodies up. A  quiet harbour bay, brilliant sunshine with lots moreish things to eat.  Hmmm I hope they have the wine.

A bit of a yarn

No Mondayitis this week.  For Peta's first Mother's Day I bought her and I  a 'How to Crochet' class at Calico and Ivy. I thought this was such a mum and daughter thing to do.  I didn't let on to the sailor how excited I was, I was gagging to get there,  soak up the gorgeous environment at Calico and Ivy and get that yarn around my pinky and chain and treble to my hearts content.  My heart wanted to sing!


I yearn to create fabulously vintage inspired cushions...

 soft and colourful vintage style throws

a lovely morning with equally eager crafty gals sitting around having a yarn over our crochet and a cuppa.

One hexagon complete, and a stash of Debbie Bliss cashmerio wool...drool worthy

Two hexagons down and only sixty two more to complete the funky vintage cushion.......Next week I will blog the pattern.

And the winner is....

Well done 'Team Incahoots'  We did it!


The sailor and I were over the moon last night we picked up four trophies for our outstanding performance in the Grant Thornton Short Ocean Race Point score.


I think this is the first time I have blogged about the sailor.  He really wanted me to include him somewhere and he found his big chance. 
Last night carrying his trophies to the car, he put his really nice voice on and asked me


" When you go up there to blogland  


(he means my room at the back of the house, yes the pokey, unrenovated room with the yucky fan light but with the lovely view from the window with the even yuckier curtainy thing I have never bothered to remove)


could you blog about tonight"


"You mean the bowls with the live fish swimming around in them, used as table centrepieces, then served fish as a main course" I replied 


"No, the trophies" the sailor groaned.


Ha! I laughed to myself, and thought rufty tufty men are all boys at heart.

I think I was in heaven

If you have the slightest interest in fabric and textiles, knitting, crocheting and crafting and you have not visited the new Calico and Ivy shop in Balmain you had better go, go now.   It is drop dead gorgeous.  Oh I sighed as Peta and I pulled up to the curb, there it is, number 10.  I love it, I love this, a gorgeous shop in a blue boathouse in the beautiful tree lined,  Birchgrove Road.
I could not wait to be inside, the vibrant colours luring me in.  I didn't even wait to help get Rowan out of the car.  I had to go in.......A visual treat awaited, a kaleidoscope of colourful fabrics and yarns all stylishly displayed in and around vintage style furniture.

An imaginative space..  boat shed. How Sydney

I have come to buy two things and I want to leave with only two things, one being a metre of defusing paper to applique a cushion cover and the second a piece of vintage style kitchenny fabric to cover the lids of my cumquart jam bottles.  Stay focused and eyes to the front....

bendy wire wrapped with sweet liberty print 

I see the very boucny, bubbly and energetic Amy the author of Amy Badskirt.  This description of Amy I copied from her profile, she also admits that she is very short.  Well Amy you are a gorgeous little a pocket rocket, talented fun and inspiring.  Can you please help me find a piece of fabric for my kumquat jam jars.  Amy gives me the raised eyebrows
"Ah, what is a cumquart"?
"Ha! you don't know a cumquart, all too funny, just think small mandarin"
Whilst Amy dashed from one fabric collection to the next choosing fat quarters........I had moved onto the yarns dreaming of crochet cushions, granny squares, cozy rugs for Rowan.....

Jenny Hunt designed crochet cushion cover...love

I could live here

Beautiful Liberty of London's Tana Lawn

 

Thank you Calico and Ivy, I have made new friends.  See you again on Monday for the crochet lessons I signed up for.....I just had to sign up to make that fabulous cushion with Jenny Hunt.