Tea and Books..

On a lovely Tuesday evening, happiness is....

A cup of tea and a good book!

Happy Tuesday, I'm off to spend the evening with Hemingway, meandering the streets of Paris...

Much love

xxx

Read More

Daydreams..

Inspired by the gorgeous Alarna and her dreams of far away places, I enjoyed a blissful the afternoon in a beautiful daydream. Whilst I spent my day teaching..

The ever inspiring, J.D Salinger

The beautifully poetic, John Keats

and the prolific, if not life changing, Roland Barthes

My mind was filled with dreams of...

Beautiful photography by irene suchocki

Paris, where my heart belongs...

Beautiful dreams and wishes to you on this magical Wednesday... Pick up your favourite book and read a page, it will fill your soul with joy.

Much love and daydreams
xxx

Read More

Of Poetry and Magic..

And so I spent a day unlike any other, listening to some of Australia's most celebrated and inspiring poets and authors in the most intimate of settings as a part of the Writers' Festival. Writers like Peter Steele, Alexis Wright, Sophie Cunningham and Robert Gray, read their work and spoke about about their worlds and influences. I am left a sense of adventure and excitement, totally drawn into their every word, fascinated how just one stanza can say so much.

So I take a moment to catch my breath, giddy with beautiful poetry and prose as I get ready for the festivities this evening of the wonderful Festival dinner, which I am sure will be filled with wonderful food from Stefano's and fascinating conversation.

I will be back tomorrow with a Sunday Shopping List as well as my adventures at Rose Harvest. I have been planning a trip to my favourite antiques shop for many weeks and I'm delighted that I will be finally going tomorrow and can't wait to see what treasures lie waiting for me to discover. I hope your weekend has been filled with beauty and wonderful conversation.

Much love and writing dreams
xxx

Read More

Saturday Afternooon...

What I love to do on a Saturday afternoon...

With my favourite illustrated copy of Alice in Wonderland, I found the perfect spot under the Autumn leaves this afternoon, to dream a few hours away in Wonderland..

I wish it was Autumn all year around. It seems we just agree with one another.

Now the sun has gone down, the antique bedroom chair by the fire calls to spend a little time on a few granny squares and lose myself in the beautiful collector's edition of Vogue Living.

Much love and happy reading
xxx

Read More

Monday's inspiration..

Today I am inspired by...

The beautiful and intriguing world of Gibbous fashions

Jamie Lea Karoses' stunning hand bound book

Paris: Made by Hand, the exquisite new book by stylist Pia Jane Bijkerk

What is inspiring you today?

Happy Monday! This evening's mission is to tidy the house, unless of course I get distracted by any number of more exciting possibilities, especially my new notebook and watercolour pencils.

Much love and inspiration
xxx

Read More

Lost in the depths of Victorian Literature..

There are just some moments I feel like I was born in the wrong era entirely... In high school I thought for sure I should have been around in the 1960's with flowers in my hair and love beads around my neck. Now as I meander through my library adventures there are so many places I know I belong, in Wonderland with Alice, causing trouble in Mr.McGregor's garden with Peter, searching for the secret garden Mary, attending a grand party with the Bennet's and today I just wanted to be sitting in the ever mysterious Wildfell Hall painting with Helen..

This afternoon as my literature class watched the 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall' the BBC mini series, I couldn't help but realise how much I longed to fall into the pages of a Bronte novel.

Image from 'The Tennant of Wildfell Hall'

To wear a corset and bonnet, wonder around a village market, live in beautiful old manor and befriend an alluring 'gentleman'.

Image from marmalademook

To wonder the moors and set up an easel amongst the mist.. to paint, to write, to dream.

This is the beauty of literature...

I hope everyone has had a lovely Friday, I'm very much looking forward to the weekend, with much to do, including a few very exciting new projects, a writing workshop and a little winter shopping. I'm off to curl up by the fire, watch the second episode of The Tenant and perhaps even crochet a granny square or two.

Much love and beautiful literature
xxx

Read More

My Creative Space..

After a few hectic days back at work, my creative space is not the hive of activity it normally is this time of week, I'm very much looking forward to the weekend so I can mess my studio up a bit! In the mean time, these are the lovelies on my desk.

I was very excited to see a little package waiting for me on my desk yesterday and it was from none other than the delightful Tinniegirl! I just couldn't resist a second lovely tinnie filled with fabulous bits and pieces.

My very cute French mini tinnie is filled with lovely lace and buttons and the gorgeous package behind (tied with string and the sweetest little Mildura teaspoon!) contains a glorious stash of fabrics. I just can't wait to begin creating! Thanks so much Cathy, it totally made my day!

The day before my little trip to Tassie I had a quiet moment of inspiration whilst dreaming of being a pirate, as I often do. I'm so taken my the costumes and colours from Pirates of the Cariabean I channeled my swash-buckling energy into a mixed media brooch, suitably titled 'Tales of Tortuga'.

Made entirley from recycled and pre loved fabrics and vintage lace 'Tales of Totuga' is my little pirates stash, with some lovely lace from a pretty girl's slip, a button and stripes from an officer's uniform and washed out canvas from a sail. I can only imagine where the tape measure may have come from.. It will be available in my Etsy shop in the next few days.

I must leave you with a fabulous book that appeared on my work desk this morning. The beautiful library ladies are always leaving me things, this week I've got a whole bag of vintage napkins and doilies, books of gorgeous sheet music and a wonderful vintage Walt Disney golden book. This morning's discovery has had me entraced all day.

Forget Me Not by Geoffrey Batchen is like an art history text book blended with a family photo album and is filled with incredible photographs, artwork and jewellery. My inspiration for the week..

Head over to Kristy at Kootoyoo to join in the fun and show off your Creative Space.

I'm off to Aqua Aerobics for a workout, it is also the perfect time to dream up ideas about what I'm going to create with my new fabric. Hope you are having a wonderful Thursday, I'm on the count down to the weekend.

Much love, pirates and photographs
xxx

Read More

A touch of yesteryear - my antique finds..

Our beautiful Easter weekend would not have been complete without a rummage through some of Mildura's lovely Antique shops and it seems no matter how hard I try I can never quite walk away empty handed. I realised just how keen my Bowerbird instincts are when the shop assistant at Rose Harvest Antiques walked into one of the small and beautifully cluttered rooms to find me sitting on the floor delving into the back corner under with my head under a dressing table (minding all the silverware as I went) in search for old tattered books. Here are my treasures..

Postcards and two beautiful old books (from under the dressing table)
I can't wait to use the green one called General Science which has beautiful revision notes written all over the back cover.

I couldn't resist this crossword puzzle book, it tells such a fascinating story

A beautiful ink bottle to add to my collection... there is just something about ink bottles I adore, perhaps it is all the letters they have help to create.

I found this little 'Kinco' brass trinket box in another little room in Rose Harvest again sitting on the ground in search of books. I pulled this out from under an old trunk, I love that it was hidden away as if it were holding a secret.

My favourite find of all was actually at the Old Wentworth Goal. I have been searching everywhere from some lovely old skeleton keys and couldn't believe my luck to find these in one of the tiny antiques rooms.

I search things that catch my eye, which often are not the prettiest or most clean. I love my antiques to tell stories of the days they spent on mantel pieces and in dusty cupboards.. Often I am searching for pieces that can be trasformed into artwork and sometimes things.. well I just can't leave without them.

Have a wonderful Wednesday! I will be back a little later with some of the new pieces I have been working on. It's windy, dark and dusty here, the perfect reading weather.

Much love and antique treasures
xxx

Read More

Reading Bronte...

The holidays have officially begun and before many exciting adventures of zine creating, lounge room redecorating, paddle steamer riding, wine tasting, family seeing and art making begin...

I just wanted to sit back and dream the afternoon away in my garden with a little Anne Bronte and a lovely cup of tea.

And it was so beautiful, I might just do it all over again tomorrow.


Much love and Autumn afternoons
xxx

Read More

A weekend in pictures..

How the weekends just fly by, all my good intentions of posting last night flew out the window for a lovely romantic evening with my hubby. I have so many little things to share I thought it be best just to show my weekend in pictures...

Friday Afternoon

Collages and inspiration an inspiration board

A beautiful owl brooch from Betty Jo Designs (we had a little brooch swap)

Saturday

Channeling Coco Chanel

Fabulous books from our morning rummage of Salvo's Op Shop

Tiny treasures for the Writing Workshop, 'Treasure Box' activity

Lights off for Earth Hour - reading by candlelight

Sunday

Custom brooches for Georgie Love's 3rd Birthday

A beautiful 'just because' pressie from my hubby
The Sun's Babies by Edith Howes 1911

A beautiful weekend and a fabulous new week beginning, four days until holidays, I can't wait! Many wonderful things to do, including a zine to create, stock to make for some up coming projects, an interview with the local paper, two novels to read, a makeover of the lounge room and backyard and a visit from my beautiful in-laws all the way from Queensland. I think I will be a busy girl!

Much love and vintage book pages
xxx

Read More

On this rosy kind of afternoon..

I'm feeling rather rosy this afternoon, I was even tap dancing around my classroom in my new red shoes, as my students looked on in amusement. You see it is Friday again... and the world slows down just for a brief moment so I can stop and capture its beauty.

I'm also rosy because there was a lovely little parcel in my mail box this afternoon from Readings bookstore! I heart Readings, they are so wonderful, if you live in Australia and need a book, they are your people. After reading Pip from Meet me at Mikes post about the inspiring book 'Bird by Bird' I just had to purchase myself a copy and it arrived, in under three days, all beautiful and new. I just love books to pieces.

Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott

With all this rosy enthusiasm and inspiration I am eager to get out my sewing machine this evening and fill my shop with some new delights. It never seizes to amaze me how inspired I am at the most peculiar of time. Last night at 1am, I was scrabbling for a pen and paper (this is why you need a notebook beside you bed) to scribble down some new phrases and an idea for a new mixed media series. This is what I found beside my bed this morning.

Now to deciphering what it all says and start the creative process!

To celebrate my rosy afternoon I sat back with my beautiful new copy of mix tape, a cup of Lady Grey tea in my favourite cup which belonged to my great grandmother and a beautiful recipe book called Cupcakes by Susanna Tee getting inspired to make some delightful rose petal cupcakes.

A pretty pink afternoon...

So many reasons to be rosy! I'm so excited and owe a big thank you to the beautiful Emma Lamb for this lovely award... to read all about it check out Emma's fabulous blog...

I just adore the amazing all the people I have met through blogging and I think this award is a beautiful way to celebrate the wonderful friendships and bonds formed through these wonderful communities. I would like to give this award to some very special people for their amazing support and kindness...

Cam of CurlyPops, Cathy of TinnieGirl, Kristy of Kootoyoo, Megan of This Byron Life and Linda of two pink possums....

Well I'm off to refill my tea cup, pull out my scissors and start creating. Pop into my little shop later this evening and tomorrow for a new collection of brooches and artwork. I'll be back in the morning with my Saturday Shopping List, inspired this week, by the art of correspondence.

Much love and rosy hugs!
xxx

Read More

A literary weekend..

Searching through a shelf of old books may not seem like much to some but I find just adore the search for that very special piece of history. I must have married well because my hubby seems to enjoy it almost as much as I do. Saturday we wondered down to Sweet Lily, a lovely little cottage style homewares shop with antiques out the back. They have a wonderful collection of books and antiques. I was looking for some cheap damaged books to use in my artwork but what we discovered was very special indeed.

From top to bottom:
Beautiful red leather early 1900's copy of Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin. Another 'Rules of Syntax' book for my collection filled with sweet ink stained pages. A 1895 copy stunning hardcover copy of Sweetheart Travellers by S. R Crochett. My hubby's pick - A History of the English-Speaking Peoples by Winston S. Churchill

Sesame & Lilies and Sweetheart Travellers came from the same collection and both have these amazing worn pages that I just adore.

Inspired by these beautiful pages I just couldn't resist creating a new mixed media collage, inspired by my favourite tale of adventure by Mr. Lewis Carroll.

Many Tea Things - Original Mixed Media Collage

Created on an early 20th century prescription book cover, this collage is something I've been dreaming up for a little while and can't wait to make some more in the series. You can find it in my little shop now.

Remember to let me know if you have fabric scraps you would like created into a collage brooch. For more information read my post from earlier today. Also my new collection of brooches is selling quickly so make sure you pop over to my shop and see if there is something special for you or a loved one.

I hope you have had a wonderful weekend, I'm off to cook dinner and get ready for 'Lost in Austen' I can't wait. Everyone needs a little Austen in their lives.

Much love
xxx

Read More

Lots to do, in ruby red shoes...

It is indeed that fabulous day of the week again... the day a throw my handbag over my shoulder and skip out of work with two glorious days ahead of me. This afternoon my fabulous friend and shopping partner Joelene and I had our usual Friday catch up over tea and hummingbird cake and then made a beeline for our favourite little shoe shop. Our little venture was very successful.. I will let the shoes speak for themselves.. My very own ruby slippers.

Ruby T-bars from I love Billy. My third pair of this brand, I just adore them!
Now all I need is my own yellow brick road.

With the book shop next to the shoe shop its very hard to resist a little look through the some of my favourites for one can never have too many books. I always end up at the fabulous five dollar shelf of classics and found two little keepers.

I'm teaching Anne Bronte in Literature next term and only have a good copy so this will be perfect for notes and highlighting and a little James Joyce never goes astray on one's bookshelf.

As the sun goes down on this lovely Friday I'm settling in for a quiet night creating. I've been hanging out all week to just play amongst my felt and fabric, with so many ideas circling in my head. My students have even been suggesting phrases to me, my favourite this afternoon.. I heart Garden Gnomes.

Tools ready to get to work..

I've been very lucky this week to receive not one but two awards! A huge thank you to Hayley for the Kreativ Blogger Award and Sharon at Blossom for Unique and Chic. I'm so honoured to receive both of these awards and I'm very excited to pass them on to some very beautiful blogs. When you get the Kreativ Blogger award you are to list seven things you love, I think from all my brooches you know all the things I heart (if not go have a peak at my Etsy shop), so I will simply list the lovely people who I would love to give these awards to.

Kreativ Blogger Award
End of March
Emma Lamb
Gretchenmist
Tea For Joy
Ngaahi
Edward and Lilly
Gumball Grenade

Unique and Chic
The Inner Stitch
Hens Teeth
Shutter-Sweet
Two Pink Possums

Wishing you a wonderful Friday, hope it is full of all your favourite things! I'm off to begin dreaming up creations and find some fabulous Etsy creations for my shopping list in the morning.

Have a wonderful Friday
xxx

Read More

Birds and tea cups on a Friday..

How quickly Friday has come around again, I'm feeling a little bit of groundhog day at the moment so I'm totally delighted at the prospect of a lovely weekend of creating, reading and watching films. Tonight I'm continuing for on my new batch of brooches which is very exciting and I've already listed on I'd been thinking about making ever since I found the gorgeous vintage fabric in an op shop in Brisbane.

Jazz Age - circa 1920

The fabric is from a handmade blouse and I just adore the beautiful 1920's silhouettes and shades of raspberry. There will be a few more different ladies to come very soon.

Of course being Friday I stopped in for a little shopping on the way home from work. I thought all was lost with nothing lovely to by anywhere until I spotted this very cute top at Pink Peppa. It seems my love for cute and quirky tees just continues to grow and I just love everything about this Fujinella piece.

Just love the grey jersey and details on the collar.

Inspiration in all its beautiful forms is such an important part of my creative process. Today I'm inspired by the little details, memories and the moments of days gone by.

Dust Jackets with ladies and gentlemen in their Sunday best. Also smelling the pages of a well worn second hand book. It is mandatory during my Literature class to smell the book before you begin reading.

My father's collection of stamps which my grandmother helped him create. Each page tells so many stories.

Nick Bantock letters from Griffin and Sabine and vintage Royal Doulton Roses

Hope you are having a beautiful Friday, remember that I will be drawing the winner of by Thank You brooch tomorrow morning 9am EST, so be sure to check in then.

Much love, birds and tea cups
xxx

Read More

I really heart Fridays.

I heart Fridays for tomorrow brings Pancakes and a sleep in. I heart Fridays because the students are always happier and so am I. I heart Fridays because I finally get to spend some time marking all the work that is piling up on my desk. I heart Fridays because I get to talk to my mum on the phone about my week. I heart Fridays because I finally get a free moment to water my favourite plants. I heart Fridays because my fabulous friend and shopping partner Joelene and I spend the afternoon pondering the week that was at our favourite cafe and then explore all the little book shops and boutiques around town.

Today I got to do all of these things and it was lovely. Now I just can't wait for a sleep in and pancakes in the morning. Here are the results of my Friday..

Harmony Clothing, my very favourite boutique never fails to deliver amazing finds and today I just couldn't resist these two pieces.

Crazy and amazing chandelier tee by Erge Designs

Cute as a button tee by Cantao - how would I resist books on a bicycle.

This is the divine little tag that came on the Cantao tee, how gorgeous is it!

I found a few fabulous bargains at the local bookshop. I just adore bookshops, it's like coming home. The smell, the beautiful covers, I can never come out empty handed. I would just love my very own little bookshop one day.

Got to love the new Penguin 'old' covers. Love in the time of Cholera - one of the best secrets my mum has let me in on.

A little Edgar Allan Poe for a fabulous evening.

My little plants are finally starting to grow. I am creating a little potted wonderland in my favourite part of the backyard and all my little plants have survived the extreme heat and looking so lovely.

My little garden.. Blueberries, chillies, lavender and rosemary. I found the silver mop bucket in the shed, it's perfect for the lavender.


My first two blueberries..

My beautiful lavender finally has the sweetest little flowers blossoming.

In business news I'm extending my donations to the Red Cross until Monday the 23rd as I have had some delightful custom orders to create over the weekend. Keep an eye out for some new brooches and pendants tomorrow and Sunday.

I just can't wait for Saturday, I heart Saturdays too! What are your plans for the weekend? I'll leave you with my philosophy for the day inspired by my dearest friend Tara...

write, sew, breath deeply, create beautiful moments and share them with amazing people..
xxx

Read More