The Tamptation of Stylish Living...Suki Tam Artist and Author

I'm thinking this piece of fabric will be a very comfy pillow, a quilt or a pair of PJ'S or ...........

Sitting here on my worktable is the cutest piece of fabric which is designed by Suki Tam a very talented artist and writer.  I met Suki at Mathilda's Market at Paddington Town Hall a couple of weeks back.  I was strolling amongst the stalls looking out for that something special to catch my eye.  There is was a colourful display of fun, vibrant, quirky printed fabrics.  I was in heaven.


I love these.  All of them.  Which one will I take.  They are absolutely beautiful....I want them all!  The feel and quality of the fabric has my stamp of approval.


I want them now before Suki becomes famous.


I picked the Elephant design to bring home that day as you all know I am creating a space for Rowan in my house and my brief to myself is to make it colourful, interesting, fun and quirky. ( much like myself).  Every quiet moment I would head back to Suki's stall to chat a little more about her wonderful prints, drawings and her inspirations.  It so happens that Suki lives just around the corner so I won't be too far away when I need a textile fix.


Here is a glimpse of Suki's delightful products.

2011 Calenders

Cherry blossom print...soo dreamy

A travel journal just in time for my holiday

Whimsical little jottings throughout

Love this

Thank you Suki for gifting me one of your travel journals.  Check out Suki's online store at Etsy to buy any of her beautiful products.  

Clear the mind and creative space.

Okay it's Friday and I have the whole weekend ahead with no plans (so far).  My space, my room, my studio whatever I decide to call it at any given time is getting out of control.  I can't help it.  I just keep making things, mostly little peoples clothes but lately I have been stretching the creative mind and this is when things have really taken on a turn for the worst.
Take a step back.....we moved into the house, a stately Victorian terrace aptly named 'Victoria'  one year ago she is located in the inner west of Sydney and is in need of major renovation... so the idea was not to stress about her state of not being stately, but to soldier on whilst we muse over the grand plan.....


My appointed creative space with little room to swing the cat is upstairs at the back of the house, my work table is kindly positioned next to a lovely double hung window with a beautiful view of trees and rooftops down the street and right into my neighbours back yard and pool area which is kind of a lovely comical distraction at times when family things are running a muck.  The walls are a dirty cream and to top it off I have a very ugly light/ceiling fan combo.......
How is the grand plan coming along, it's not, so this is it, I am going to give fabric stash along with my patterns, laces trims etc, etc, etc, a get out of jail card and send them off on a lovely little holiday to the lock up.
The sailor did mention to me that I have poetic license to decorate the house in any stylish 
whim that takes my fancy...funk up the place, go crazy, graffiti the walls...well maybe not go that far. 

How high can I stack these...the boxes they multiply

Please stay in your box

My new super scissors...I found you and now I have lost you

Hmm....  somewhere there is a key that keeps the door closed

Stunning!

Watch this space

Rowantree at Mathilda's Market

I love doing a market day especially Mathilda's Market where I get to catch up with some lovely gals who are devoted to designing and making unique and gorgeous things for children and the home.  Last Saturday was no exception, Paddington Town Hall was a buzz with very happy shoppers who braved the rain and the election traffic to snap up some beautiful treasures.


And here is Rowantree.....

My collection of lovely vintage inspired baby girl dresses, boy rompers and cutesy gadabout shorts.

The new Gadabout boy short .... take me anywhere!

The Phoebe smock is a favourite of mine.  I love the little tie at the neck and the lower half of the sleeve as a puff.  Little pearl buttons through the back and on sleeve.  


Take the boy anywhere in these little gadabout shorts.  I have chosen some quirky little soft check prints just for your little man.


I am hoping to have these new styles available on the website soon.....

Big Style in Children's Bedrooms

I seem to have a bee in my bonnet lately, not only do I obsess over my designs for children's clothing, fabrics, trims and buttons.   I am foraging the globe for  beautiful furniture, soft furnishings and of course works of art with artistic merit for 'Baby Rowan'. 
I had to look no further for beautiful and timeless children's furniture than here in my studio, at my desk.    Drumroll....Please
 Kirsty Withers has recently launched a designer baby and children's furniture company Incy Interiors and I love it.  Just the furniture I have drooled over when on my travels through Europe and the States.  What a Gal!  Not only has Kirsty closen stylish furnishing designs, Incy products are functional and affordable and meet the Australian and New Zealand standards.

cots.....

reece.... timeless and nostalgic

rupert.... french inspired

beds....

Mia..... reminiscent

james.... classical

Choosing a cot or bed for your child is a huge milestone in any parents life but with beautiful quality children's furniture like this it's just made it a whole lot easier....


to see the complete range of cots, beds, groovy chairs and wall art visit  Incy interiors  online store

Cap, Hat and Hair accessories

Ready Stock

BH01 Baby/ Kids Hat - Navy blue
(shanice, zuraidah, adibah, esther, rachelle)

BH02 Baby/ Kids Hat - White - sold out
(fariza, hana, livia)

Can be wear 2 way
Suitable for 6m-2y
RM17 each

Wall Decor - Something Different and a new online store find

Decorating Rowan's room  is becoming quite a talking point amongst my friends. We enjoy musing over creative ideas such as colour (too much, too less), book and toy storage and wall decor. Thank you to some very talented Australian artists the walls are almost complete.   
So what do do with the wall behind his cot?    Or for that matter, walls in general.  Yesterday over a coffee we shared some funny memories of our creative faux pas when decorating our own children's rooms.

It was the feature wall back in the 80's, the beach house stripes, the new look French wash and all those gorgeous Porters Paint's finishes, that looked absolutely great in the shop and in the magazines,  took months to get it right (I thought)  only to see first hand how bad the colour choice was, the strips bled, and the French wash look, looked like a big splosh of colour!  Right enlist hubby to help with the clean up, two coats of the original colour and pretend it never happened.  

Another idea..

Let's go for the collage of many uninspiring framed prints, throw in a few embroided teddy bear  tapestries (from Nana)  and it might just work .  We need to bang in some unsightly hooks, nails etc.  or adhere multiple sticky hooks and later watch them slide ever so slowly and take on a direction completely of their own, picture in toe.  


I don't know which was worse?


Thanks to having some young and inspiring creative people around me I was introduced to the wonderful world of wall stickers......


"Create your ultimate Space"


"These beautiful removable wall borders and wall stickers make quick work of transforming your baby's or child's room"


Imagine the power of these quotes back in the 80's

These happy little jungle animals are from the Wall Sticker Company and live lovingly on the wall of Rowan's Nursery at his house.

Now for  Rowan's room at his big house I wanted something a little different.  I came across a online store 

Gallop Lifestyle with some very lovely products for baby as well as a treat for yourself.  

These are my picks.....

Very cute and oh so French!

Whimiscal

Starry night 

Kitty soft toys by Malike

Love these storage boxes...I'm thinking children. laundry, picnics, magazines......

I hope you enjoy!

Creativity Catch Up

A wet and rainy weekend ahead and I am almost excited.  this is a time when I get to catch up on a bit of everything creative.  Firstly a trip to my local growers market at the Orange Grove School at Rozelle,  with over 100 stalls bursting with fresh farm produce, breads, cakes and pastries, preserves, flowers and more. Oh my goodness, I am in heaven and with a freshly roasted coffee in hand I am in inspirational paradise!

There are always so many little projects waiting patiently in my workroom, either a pattern to finish, a sample to sew or a little crafty idea I am working on.  So much choice, never enough time and which one do I choose.

I have the inspiration for dinner, so now it's me a little craft project and my camera for the remainder of the day.

Pots of fresh herbs a hessian bag and a sprig of white flora

Farm fresh eggs and an Italian cookbook...Pasta anyone!

Pretty in Pink

From the garden to the craft room....A framed crochet and embroided collage for Matilda, fresh roses from the market and a pair of Rowantree Irish Bloomers from the Baby Rowantree collection.