Inspiring Weekend For Us All!!

3 Fine Grains

This week has been a blur really and the weekend should be the same. Mic is off to the annual Toy Run while I am home looking after a still poorly Mason (3yrs) and trying to sew like mad for the markets next Sunday.

This image above, which I spied recently over at Willow Decor, has become my inspiration for creative-ness this weekend....the tree is amazing and all out of jute webbing for ribbon garland, offcuts of grain sacks for decorations (like my own) and vintage ornaments - love!

3 Fine Grains
More inspiration for me!! I have a mountain of my stockings to sew, thanks to my trusty friends, Krista and Jolee for helping me cut them all out...now all I have to do is sew!

I am going to try and make up our own stockings while I am at it (time permitting as always) with some beautiful old Irish Linen pillowcases that are beyond repair. They have the most gorgeous embroidery on them and the linen is the softest I have felt...ever.

Country Living
Other than that I am just going to try and take in the season and enjoy my festive sewing with a little Bing Crosby, Dean Martin and Mariah all crooning about Christmas in the background.

Whatever you have planned, I hope you enjoy it!

Ness xx

My love for Mora...and a blog surprise

Homes and Gardens Mag

Nothing says Swedish style to me more than the Mora clock. I have never seen such a statement piece before that is more beautiful. I especially love how each Mora clock is unique because of the flaky paint that many Mora's now have because of their age...it shows up other layers, colours from different decorating schemes, like a timeline of each Mora's history.
via willow Decor
My favourite ones are the grey and white hued Mora clocks and especially the ones that have a hand painted "Mora" on the clock face.
True antiques and exquisite masterpieces.

On another note, the lovely Michelle from the well know My Notting Hill blog, asked myself and other bloggers to "attend" a virtual Baby Shower for Lauren Liess of Pure Style Home blog fame. Lauren is due to have her second child this month and we all 'gave' Lauren presents which Michelle put into a surprise post. Go to the post and see what I gave Lauren by clicking HERE.
Thanks Michelle for asking me and good luck to you, Lauren.
Ness xx

One of those days!

Beach Studios
As far as days go...today I should have stayed in bed!!!
unknown
Our littlest munchkin was sick, and while he laid and slept on the sofa most of the day,Beach Studios
I played catch up on my mountain of jobs and orders, while feeling a little queasy too.
To top that off, there is something going on with our computer and it is going sooooo slow.
Hopefully tomorrow will erase today.
Ness xx

Cupboard Dilemma!

Ever since we moved into our home over 6 years ago, I have been dying to paint our Kitchen cupboards all white. When we began to renovate our 133 year old home the kitchen started off with open shelves either side of our window...it didn't work with the space, made it heavy and they had to go. Now I see photos and think "I wouldn't mind having some place to display my collection of white ceramics and ironware", but I don't want open shelves. I have been thinking for a while now that when the cupboards get painted (sooner than later) I would like to change one of our double pantry cupboards into a wire fronted display piece and have the other one in chalkboard paint...but now I have added our little chalkboard on the side of the pantry, I think that an all blackboard pantry would be too dark....sigh!


So, now I have become obsessed with cupboards and how I can pretty our Kitchen doors up with out spending a bomb doing it...this I can do!

I have thought that maybe I could tear off 2 of the doors and have some shelves exposed and maybe a gorgeous skirt (like Brooke has done here in her Chanel Islands home)...but that would mean a major configuration of the other pantry which is attached and lots of $$$ - not going to work.

..maybe we should rip that side out and have a freestanding unit in its place - no, then it would mean re plastering the wall and we would still have to re configure the other pantry...argh!


...bite the bullet and take off all the doors and have some wonderful colour splashed onto the back of the cupboard to highlight my collection? What do I do with ugly tins of food?
I would just love to have a huge Armoire that I could fill with beauty, open when I felt like it, shut if it was a little messy and be done, but no...an old house is never going to play your way!

So, I am back to the idea of painting the cupboards all white, maybe cutting some panels out of two of the doors, filling with mesh (so you can see the collection) and keeping the other two doors intact to hide everyday food items and dressing the doors with some nickle bin pull handles on the drawers and nickle knobs on the doors.

How much can I pull this off for? I am going to do the math and try to shock you when it is done...do you think I can do it on a shoestring? Any tips??

Ness xx

image #1,3,4 Country Living, #2 Brooke Giannetti,

#5 via Modern Country

loving this!

What a beautiful winter Christmas scene! It is so fresh with the white and pops of red, I just adore this, and....


wouldn't it look even better with one of my new french inspired stockings??! You can get these and more in my shop NOW.

Ness xx
image #1 - unknown...sorry!

Life As A Bird...

despite the horrendous weather on Saturday morning, the days cleared enough for me to pack mason in the car and head to the Niche markets which were held in Launceston for three days. The markets showcase up and coming designers and give shop owners a great opportunity to get their hands on locally made products to sell in their stores...I just go for the shopping!

This particular stall above and belongs to the gorgeous Emma of 'Life As A Bird' Florist. Emma supplied the flowers for the last Wedding I done and her work is just stunning.

These white Peonies were just beautiful.

Emma's Florist business is located in The Vintage Rose, which as you know is my favourite store in Launceston...hands down! Emma has also started a blog which shows some of Em's work and her antics! She is such a sweetie, so head to her blog and tell her I said Hi!

Another amazing talent is Sophie from 'That Vintage'. Her wooden pendant necklaces are my absolute fave and I have just bought some Christmas presents from her this weekend. Sophie's work is in the latest issue of Peppermint Magazine and she is a regular at many markets around town as well as having her designs in nearly every shop I seem to enter these days as well as all over the country and now in NZ too!
You can visit Sophie's online store to view her great jewelry HERE
Some of the other great designers at the market were-
Red Bamboo
Hello Kitty...the best cookies EVER!
Rebecca Roth (my kind of chunky rings!)
Dick & Dora
and many more!
Ness xx

Joy To The World!

My favourite Christmas images from last year have been called in to duty today as I am just doing a quick post...my Sister is in the Hospital right now having her baby which isn't due until the 3rd of January!!!
On top of this shocking family news, it has been a really hectic day today with loads of jobs, orders to post and general things to do - I'm pooped!
So, I am giving myself an early mark to wait for the call that Jr has arrived =0)
Have a wonderful evening.
Ness xx
image 1- Aust Home beautiful, 2- Mari Erikson

A Snippet...

Here is a new cover coming to My Store very, very soon. As well as some other new items all on there way for the Holidays. I hope to get them all up on there over the weekend, all depending on my finger and my work load....but I think you will like the new items - I do!

Ness xx

Busy Is A Good Thing...Right?

Today is my Sister-in-laws 21st, and although we done the party thing on the weekend, we are having a Birthday dinner at our house for her....and I have busted my finger! I was hit last night with a 3kg medicine ball at Bootcamp which came hurtling at me from across the room. My poor finger is black and blue and I can hardly bend it - but I am tough!

These next few weeks are going to be crazy for me...so many orders and jobs to do as well as getting the market stall together etc. My cupboards are overflowing with fabric and notions for seasonal products (not as pretty as the one above though), and I seem to not have enough time in the day to cram it all in.


...I am happy though!

Nearly all of my new stockings have sold, I have loads of orders for more and all of my other Christmas goodies are walking out the shop (most aren't even getting to the shop). This is great and your support has been unbelievable.

I don't know how I will go sewing with a deformed and blue finger though..should be interesting!

Ness xx
images - Country Living

Handmade Christmas at our place...

My little wreaths on our internal French doors.
So, I done it! Put up the tree I mean. I couldn't contain it any longer. I thought I would show you how the weekend went from frantically making things for Evandale Markets (I am having a stall there on the second Sunday of December if you are nearby =0)), to making decorations for our tree and finally setting it up.
This is how it began...left over fabric and some gorgeous French linen ribbon.

...and ended up here!

After using everything from pure wool herringbone fabric, white linen, natural linen, ticking and soft burlap, I came up with these sweet little tree decorations. They are adorned with original print from German and French grain sacks, little trees and birds, French script, crowns, Bees, French postage stamps, snowflakes....etc.

You can see the Herringbone fabric in the top left corner there - the grey one.
I will be selling some of these, but they will be made up by request. I don't have any of the linen ribbon left at the moment, but I am hoping to get some more this week.
If you are interested in these decorations, please email me at marleyandlockyer@gmail.com


They look wonderful on the tree and also on doorknobs too!


I also made these stockings from the pure wool herringbone fabric. They come in themes and there is crowns (shown here), trees/birds, and snowflakes. One of the stockings shown here has a crown from an old German grain sack printed on it ( the right one) and the other one is a different crown print...that way you know who's is who's!

You can get these from My Shop.

I will be making our own ones in linen...when I get a spare minute!!

This is the top of our TV unit. It had a little candle makeover. I love candle light at Christmas time especially and this corner will just glow at night! If you are wondering what the glass vase at the back is...its the fish bowl.

I also gave our pictures in the living room a makeover too. These little images of old looking Santa's I had from an old Country Home magazine and have been waiting forever to use them. So, some cheap black frames, white cardboard for the backing and sticky dots to hold the card in place and- voila! A cute nod to the season for the boys that is not too commercial looking.

Here they are together...cute!

Here is our tree with all it's handmade decorations on it and my theme of silver, gold, white and neutrals. I will play around with it over the next few days to tweak it here and there, but overall I am happy with it. Even Mic likes this years theme! I am really glad I used the planter, which had been destined for the outside of the French doors with a box topiary in it, but I thought I would use it here to hide the base. The planter was a set of 2 that Mum got on a dump visit for $5.00 and I gave a coat of white paint! Good spot Mum!!

I will show you some more Christmas decorating as I go. I still have to make up all the window wreaths yet and a few other things. I would love to hear what you think as always.

Ness xx

Brickmakers finalists - voting starts Monday!!

The gorgeous Brooke Giannetti is holding an amazing competition where readers recently sent in shots of a room, like the one above, that they thought needed the Brickmakers table...there is 3 of the tables to be given away! Brooke kindly asked me to be one of the judges and after quite a few hours of looking at the 170 entries...I had to choose 5!!

Now we need your help. Head over to Velvet & Linen tomorrow (Monday 23rd Nov) to vote for the finalists. There are some great rooms to choose from.

Thanks Brooke for including me.

Ness xx

Is this the place????

Today I visited my friends home and....her tree is up! All the trimmings, everything. They are going on vacation soon and thought they would get some festive time with their tree for the kids sake.
So, after seeing this beautiful image in Australian Home Beautiful I am itching more to put ours up. The simplicity of this tree and the handmade factor it embodies is something I am looking at re creating this year - but where will I put the tree?

This is the space I am thinking of.

The photo is a bit dark, I know, but our little Mason (3) was asleep after a long morning and raining, so I didn't use the flash...anyway...

The living room has been changed around since last Christmas and I would have loved to put the tree on the opposite of these doors, but the TV unit is there and I don't think Mic is keen on adjusting the cables etc to accommodate the tree.

This was last years tree...and the only decorating I pretty much done because of the mammoth painting project we had on. This is also where I would love to have the tree (you can see there is no doors here then...and no TV unit!). Our tree wont have as much colour on it this year as I mentioned in a previous post that it will be white, silver and gold, with linen too. I really want that handmade feel and I always think these are the kind of decorations that Declan (5) and Mason (3) will remember more...not heaps of store bought ones that all look the same.

I plan on getting them to make their own one each year.

Pottery Barn
Now, I would love to have the tree beside a roaring fire will mulled wine simmering on the stove...but it will be beside the wide open French doors with cold home made Irish Cream in chilled glasses instead.

Please someone tell me I can start!

Ness xx
image 2 + 3 by me.

Simple Things Are Best...

By now you are aware that I have a growing to-do list for holiday decorating which will begin late next week. Some of you are wondering where I am getting all of the time to create my list as well as items for My Shop, training, etc, etc.

Well, I am planning on using loads of 'fillers'...things like bunches of greenery with lovely ribbon. This one above is beautifully simple and with the mint leaves would smell wonderful when you brush by.
Unfortunately, I don't have any vintage silverware (except for a gorgeous cake server), but the modern ones I have resemble these ones without the lovely patina. I do have stunning linen like this however ...now to fit it into the to-do list!

Little accents like this just make the whole event special, and make your guests feel like they are important to you...and how simple - a felt snowflake (you could cut this out with a scalpel), a sprig of something fresh (Lavender or Boxwood would be perfect), and a vintage tea towel used as a napkin....I love it!
For this, you wouldn't have to use purpose made tea light holders...baby food jars, small jam jars, anything like that would do. A couple of Autumn leaves and string and voila!! very cute table filler. Here in Australia though it would have to be a green leaf as we are at the end of Spring. It would still look gorgeous though.
...and don't forget doorknobs, drawer pulls etc. I am not saying to put one everywhere there is a handle...but unexpected places seem like you have really thought it out. I plan to put something on our little cupboard outside which houses our water heater! Everyone has to walk past it to get to the back door.

...I really have to get started!

Ness xx

image 1- Jeanne D'arc Living, 2 +3- Country Living, 4- Martha, 5- bhg

Its not Christmas without linen!

Linen at Christmas time looks so beautiful and I dreamt up so many decorative uses for it last year that I plan to do this year. Linen stockings for one to go with the wrapping for this year.

Linen napkins with fresh greenery to jazz up the table and keep it fresh looking for our warm Christmas day.

I would love to have some linen grain sack cushions to fill up our chaise which will be getting moved outside this year...lets hope it doesn't rain!

...and I plan to make a big version of my hand towels this year to use as a table runner. I am just realising now that I am going to be extremely busy this year - whats new!

Ness xx

image 1 -via Villa Anna, 2-bhg, 3-Raphael designs, 4- me

Wreath Addiction!

Wreaths in windows just remind me of the white Christmas I dream of and last year, as you know due to painting, I never got to indulge in my wreath addiction...til now!!

This image has been in my head for a little while now and I am more determined than ever to hang a fresh willow wreath in everyone of our windows this year...Mic will be rolling his eyes right now reading this!

Image - Ness Lockyer
This was our little wreath hanging in what is now our bedroom (formally the other living room)the first year we moved in. I know it is small, but it was cute. The tartan ribbon was a nod to my heritage and it hung so nicely with our curtains back then.
But this year I will be going bigger...and with some sort of wide silk ribbon to hang them all from the French doors and windows (there is 12 in total and 2 main doors and 2 internal French doors...16 in all - better get cracking!)
They just look amazing with window treatments and we have wicker roman blinds, and sash windows. OOOOOH I can't wait to get decorating this year!

Have you started yours yet?

Ness xx

images - country living, image 2 - me!

Just Gorgeous!

Loving this home which has been decorated for the season with robins egg blue, white and gold. The fact that these are the main colours in this home already make everything Christmassy (Is that even a word?) work even better. I love the stencilling on the floor too.
Imagine waking to this scene on Christmas morning? Opening up everything you wished for...oh for a perfect world where Santa delivered what was on the list!!

Boughs of pine have been dotted throughout the house and no room has escaped this gorgeous seasonal styling.

Totally in love with this space. Vintage grain sack material for a bed cover, white slip covered window seat, shutters, twinkling white adorned tree and pine boughs give it such a wonderful look. It even suits the Wheaten Terrier...so cute, like a little bear!

This room would be amazing even without the Christmas pizazz!
The chandelier and built-in pantry, marble topped table and robins egg blue chairs are just beautiful. I hope you are all getting revved up for the season...I am!

Ness xx

all photo's - Country Living

Planning For An Aussie Christmas

This image above could be France, could be Australia...but only in Australia could you do this at Christmas time! Most Aussies spend Christmas day outdoors as it is usually stinking hot, and being inside with the oven going is a no-no. Most Australians have a cold lunch these days, some still do the traditional fare and others do a mix up...like our Family.
This image from Designers Guild looks like an Aussie Christmas lunch setting..and while I was vacuuming today with carols going (I love Christmas ok!), I thought of what I will do in our place this year as Christmas is always here. Last year I couldn't do a lot as there was painting happening right up until Christmas Eve and after!!
I plan for something good this year.

Which lead me to these images from Notebook Magazine. This advent calender is a wonderful idea and is so much nicer than a Ben-10 calendar filled with bad chocolate!

It is made with Indian cotton and uses basic sewing skills and some pinking scissors. You could even fringe the edges if you didn't have fancy scissors. I also love that is is in white which I plan to use a lot of this year.
For those of you who don't have room for a tree...fear not! You can just grab a sculptural looking branch from outside and hang some beautiful baubles from it. The base of this has been placed in a wire basket and surrounded with white fairy lights...me like!

I am truly loving this table and after seeing this image , I plan to make a linen runner like this out of some 120 year old linen I recently bought. The fact that is simple and there seems to be no fuss involved (I am sure there was) has sold this to me. But as always, I will be the one with a countdown list of things that have to be done to make the day as special as it should be...it won't be a white Christmas here in Australia - just at our place!

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you to all for the lovely comments and emails this week. You really have helped me.

Ness xx

Image 1, 3, 4, 5 - Notebook Magazine

Image 2 - Designers Guild

Back To My Roots...

via porchlight interiors

My head is pounding thinking about this barn store and I am sure you are over hearing about it so I am posting some shots that take me back to my roots of styling, decorating and of course, white, vanilla, cream......
via Belgian pearls
The gorgeous Greet had this image on her blog, Belgian Pearls (a new fave of mine) a little while ago and I immediately fell in love. Probably a bit frou-frou for the direction I have gone lately...but gorgeous either way. It reminds me of an apartment in Paris with all of the decorative finishes and high ornate ceilings.

via tutti chic
This is just me! matalasse linen, mirrored armoire, chandelier (I love them completely again!), white floors and white, white, white. I would love to have a nursery like this...not that I will be having any more babies...but one can dream!

via hjemmetsgleder blog

Loving these two chaises covered in white with my favourite hint of soft grey and loads of texture. The canvas in the background is so beautiful.

All of the photos have reminded me what I am all about.

Ness xx

Barn Lady...

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who emailed and left comments about my quest for a store/barn. I really do appreciate this support and especially the comments from those of you who own barn stores like this one from the lovely Cathleen Alyce from Vintage Home lifestyle blog. This barn is on her property which she opens as 'Barn Sale' every so often (like the pop-up idea from Tricia Foley I like so much). This give her time to scour items and fill the barn for the next event...I am loving this idea and I could do this on our property =0)

The barn is filled with big furniture pieces and small and all have that lovely palette that I adore so much.

Cathleen's barn is amazing and to find out when the next event is on click HERE. I have so many barn stores to look at from the emails that I may have more to show soon.

Now to find some old pailings to line ours with.....

Ness xx

Shop Hunting...barn style!

Today I went to view this barn with a friend who is looking at the property as a whole. She asked me to come along for styling/ design advice as she has other plans for the property and knows how much I yearn for a little store of my own.

I think this barn is amazing. This is the back entrance, which is beautiful in its own right. Inside it is a barn like any other...but I can imagine the space filled already. I know, with my luck finding a shop has been near impossible - but I can dream...right!!?

Something like Tricia's would be perfect for me.

This is the outside of Tricia's beautiful barn and the image that really sent me over the edge!
For those of your that might not know what I mean...let me explain.
This is where it all started, back in early 2008. My Sister and I were looking to rent this Victorian building, she was going to run the Cafe/ restaurant and I was going to open my store in this little shop you see...it was perfect. Great street frontage, not overly big to start with and I had imagined this shop as mine for about 4 years...need less to say, it is still not ready to go and I gave up! I should have been in there a year this month!!
Then there was this one, virtually half a minute from our home and with main road frontage.

Inside was even better than the first shop, yeah it would take more to fill, but I had quite a bit of vintage furniture to fill it with. Anyway...now it is a movie hire store.
Maison Reve, a store I adore in the States is what I had visions of for the above shop. I have had this in my shop file for a while and every time I look at it, it just makes me want it even more.

Images like this shop are basically teasing me to go ahead and do it, open my little dream shop and stop worrying about how much foot traffic, global credit blunders and woes the world has.

Even if I didn't have a permanent shop, a pop-up store keeps springing to mind and images like this...
..and this call to the bargain hunter in me to go gather old wares, re purpose and give them new life and sell as an seasonal thing.

..but the idea of that permanent shop is something I can do my consulting, styling and sewing ventures in. A home away from home, filled by all things that I love and hopefully others who visited would too. Windows like this don't help!
After walking around this property today and through the gorgeous gardens that envelope the barn and home, my friend and I spent a full day working out details for her plans for the property/house...

..and my plans for this barn.

As the story goes, nothing may come of this, but it would be nice to have this little barn all dressed in white and full of candles, soft furnishings, old furniture, little topiary box plants, lots of linen and my own products - and just a few kilometers from home.

If anyone out there has gone through anything like this, I would love to hear about it...it might make me feel better.

Ness xx

New Life...and New Tags!

We had perfect weather over the last few days and it is so nice to be outside again. Last night while we were playing Cricket with the boys, we found this little nest with 3 little baby birds snuggled inside in one of my rose bushes (whilst looking for the ball!). Don't worry, I didn't climb up to take this photo. The nest is about chest high and right at the edge of the bush. Now, I just have to keep the boys away from it
I also wanted to show you some new tags for the store. 'Herald Angel' is a new one for Christmas this year. A set of 2 is US$6.00.

The next ones are great for all year round and I love the 'Blackbird' tag as it indulges my thing for birds! Set of 2 is US$6.00.

Another sweetie is the 'Butterfly' tags. The design on this is beautiful.

Set of 2 is US$6.00.

I haven't listed this one yet and I will hopefully be doing it sometime today or tomorrow. It is a little flourish design and would be great for Christmas, but I can see it just as happy dressing up a Wedding gift, Christening, Birthday gift...actually anything. It would also look lovely on your tree this year.

I hope you like my new tags. If you want to see the entire range click HERE.

Have a beautiful day.

Ness xx
all images by me

Gorgeous Weekend

image - KAA Design Group

I hope you all enjoy your weekend. Apparently we are in for a gorgeous one in Tasmania and I plan to use it outside...I wish it was sitting in an outdoor space like this, but never mind -I will be in the weeds!

I feel a little guilty for having neglected my blog of late with the chaos that I have going on at the moment. This is also evident by my lack of comments on my favourite blogs. I hope to remedy this soon. Please forgive me.

Ness xx

Today I am loving...

image- min lilla veranda

Today I am loving, white, fresh greenery, chippy paint and worn wood...oh, hang on I always love those!! I do love this photo though and it is really inspiring me. It is also helping me plan what to do for Christmas as well as really getting me motivated for my little store to somehow open. I have also been thinking of gifts for the festive season...
Etsy.com
I am sorry, but I cant find the shop that goes with this image. I will have to have another look and fix the link, because I just love this image and thought what a wonderful gift for my little nephew that will be born around Christmas time...it is SO cute, and I love chairs!

All Posters.com

My Mum has been after a print like this for some time and I found this one which I think she would love to go in her white ornate frame she has been storing for such a picture.

Carambatack
And finally, something for me - this print of a Peacock (you know I love these!) in aqua on an old page from the 1800's. It will go with the other print I bought from the wonderful artist.
Anyway, that's what I love today.
Ness xx

Styling Christmas

You may have realised that I adore anything which is styled well, and these next three photos from Caroline Swift's site are just gorgeous. They have got me thinking of our Christmas setting this year and what I will do to make it better than last.
These stoneware flowers would look great as place settings don't you think?


And imagine little dipping bowls made from thin bone china...stunning!
Shabby.de

I am also loving these little houses filled with candle light and can imagine them clustered in groups behind presents.....

the planning begins!

Ness xx

New Items For Christmas From M&L

I haven't posted anything from my Etsy store for a little while, so today I am showing you some of the new things that have been listed.

I have finally added our range of Christmas tags, stockings etc and they are going really well.

I love these little 'Star Tags'. I especially love them as place tags on the Christmas table. They come in a set of four and are US$12.00

These 'Joy' tags are a great seller at Christmas time. The texture on the tags is from vintage French linen. I think it gives the tags a lovely look and feel instead of being totally smooth.
They come in sets of 2 for US$6.00.
These 'Dove' clay tags are new to the store and are sold in sets of 4 for US$12.00. They look great as a gift tag, like here, or on your tree or table.
Little trees for your own tree or for a beautiful gift tag, either way they look so cute...and are US$9.00 for 3!

Some of you will remember my Flour Sack pillow...but I have improved it! It is now hand stamped in a eco friendly black ink, which gives it much more clarity than the last ink I used. It still comes filled ready to use and is only US$20.00ea.
My new favourite cover this season is this 'Wheat Sack' cover, which has been hand stamped with the same eco friendly ink that the Flour Sack is done with.....


and it has some embroidery detailing on each side of the print and a red ticking back (which will be for a limited time).

So, if you would like to see the range of Christmas items at Marley & Lockyer, just click HERE.

I would love to know what you all think.

Ness xx