I Love Mood Boards

While studying interior design I quickly learnt that mood boards to an interior designer, are like what  sand is to the sea; what the sky is to a cloud;  like what butter bread is to vegemite; like what chocolate coated licorice is to me! Do you get my drift? It's like the backbone - the foundation of interior  design. It's where the creative juices flow and play and wander around, searching for loveliness and inspiration and a sounding board for your ideas to come to life.

But, take a mood board one step further and it can become a gorgeous piece of hand made artwork that you can feather with!

Marie Nichols, an interior designer from the UK who is living in Australia at the moment, and who I will be doing a feature post on very soon, has really inspired me to get into my own mood board artworks. I'm making one at the moment for my market stall display. It's lots of fun. You should try one too.

I used an old picture frame (without backing or glass) and asked my Dad to back it with cork (which he did so cleverly...thankyou my lovely Dadsy). Then I sanded the frame and painted the whole lot white. I can now pin or blue tak inspirational feathery bits to my board. I'll show you when I've properly finished...or maybe you'll just have to pop down to the Bega Markets next week and have a look;) I think it'll be something that I'll also hang in my nest and I can use it as my ever-changing artwork. Fun!

Here are some I found in my cyber travels. I hope they get your creative juices flowing....

This mood board is from Marie Nichols' blog. It  is the inspiration to mine. I love this! Marie has hers hanging in her living room.

The 3 mood boards above are from: http://sproutgallery.blogspot.com/2010/04/fabulous-mood-boards.html

http://lovemyearth.blogspot.com/2007/01/black-and-white-home.html

http://www.trulyace.com/blog/wp-admin/install.php

http://design-muse.blogspot.com/2007/12/i-love-mood-boards.html

http://ullam.typepad.com/ullabenulla/paris_discoveries/

Mood boards don't have to actually be done on boards. You could do them like these two below. Just stick things straight onto the wall or hang them from cute string and hooks. I want to do this for Lewi's art work in the rumpus. I know I've mentioned this before...just have to keep reminding myself to do it;)

http://ullam.typepad.com/ullabenulla/paris_discoveries/

http://thebutterflycollector.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/02/08/dform.jpg

Maybe making a mood board could be something fun to do this weekend? If you do it, please email me some pictures. I'd love to add them to this lovely display.

Keep Calm Love or Keep Calm, Love????

Don't you love this? I think this needs to be the mantra for bloggers all over the world...I love it!

I'm going to put it on my side toolbar too - the red is perfect:)

And this???

I'd use this one but Jan's Crafty Nest has made her own and this is it. So cute!

These posters have become a bit of a trend lately. They are based on the  old British WWII morale boosting posters and  slogan: Keep Calm and Carry On.

http://www.keepcalmandcarryon.com/pages/history

While we are at it, have a look at these...

 

http://prints.national-army-museum.ac.uk/image.php?id=407541

http://www.alienspouse.com/jen_weblog/2009/03/keep-crocheting-and-carry-on.html

http://www.webspores.com/?p=680

http://www.zazzle.com.au/vintage_keep_calm_and_carry_on_poster-228001973519621191

http://jratlee.com/post/69276316/keep-calm-and-carry-on

 

http://villagechicken.blogspot.com/2010/01/keep-calm-and-carry-on.html

http://peachinbeantown.tumblr.com/post/214270423/thedailywhat-keep-calm-carry-on-parody-of-the

This one's for Sarah xx

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/the-10-best-keep-calm-and

And last, but not least..well, actually there is another very funny one but I'm not going to display it here...it's got rude words on it but I always love take offs of things so I thought it was funny. Anyway, people who know me would think that this last  poster could be the most applicable to me. I'm as calm as a cucumber......I AM SO!!!!

Entwine Designs

Last weekend I mentioned Entwine Designs on my Saturday travels around Bega. Today I'm featuring Nicole and her lovely, lovely shop in Auckland St, Bega (opposite Beta Electricals).

This shop is a treasure trove of vintage delight. Nicole has a gorgeous array of all things vintage: dolls, toys, jewellery, mirrors, artwork, green glass, crockery, linen, furniture and lots of other lovely, quirky pieces.

Not only does Nicole sell vintage wares and antiques but she is also  an accomplished florist. Take a walk through the shop, ponder awhile and enjoy a nostalgic experience. The journey doesn't end there. Towards the back of the shop is the flower section. This is where Nicole works on her beautiful flower arrangements and where you can buy a lovely bunch  of flowers to feather your nest:)

Nicole opened the lovely, old, wooden door of Entwine Designs about 15 months ago. The idea of opening a florist and vintage wares shop began from Nicole's frustrations of struggling to find nice places to shop within our local area. Sick of driving long distances for shopping, the idea of opening her own shopping experience for local people was planted.

After studying Floristry in Sydney, Nicole headed south to Cobargo. As a single mum to her daughter, Savana, Nicole worked in various jobs around the area but found, once again, the travel to be an issue. She began researching the idea to open a shop as well as completing the NEIS course.

Nicole's mum, who has always had a passion for renovating and restoring antiques, helps out in the shop and behind the scenes. Combining Nicole's love of flowers and floristry along with her passion for vintage wares and the shabby chic style along with her mum's love for antiques, Entwine Designs was born and opened.

So...if you haven't already popped into Entwine Designs and had a wonder through and said hi to Nicole...then you HAVE to go tomorrow! Go on - get down there, you'll love it.

Here's a little taste of Nicole's creative, flowery flare. Aren't these lovely?

 

And some photos of Nicole's lovely vintage feathering bits and pieces.

Before you leave this post, go and have a look here at Nicole's website and then go here to Moss Industry. It's a lovely blog that Nicole showed me today. Nicole gets loads of inspiration from this gorgeous blog. You'll see why a florist would love Moss Industry.

So, I'm sure you can see why I love Entwine Design! I know you will too. Nicole's a lovely gal and up for a chat anytime (well, anytime that is in between flower orders, flower arranging, deliveries,  helping customers, arranging her lovely bits and pieces and all of the other busy- nesses that go with running a multi-faceted shop).

It's so great to have such a lovely shop in Bega. Thank you, Nicole, for your flare and style and vision for helping Bega grow into a happenin' place to be;)

Look! Cool Book!

http://www.femail.com.au/australian-vintage-living.htm

This is the latest 'I want" book for my shelves. I can't wait to get my mitts on this gorgeous book about vintage interior design.

The author, Bronnie Masefau, is an interior designer who lives in Brisbane with her 3 kidlets and husband. She has a design store called Sho Interiors, which she opened in Brisbane in 2001. Australian Vintage Living is the first book she's written and I so hope it's not her last.

The book looks cosy and funky and not hoity toity but, rather, filled with down-to-earth, vintage design ideas. The perfect feather and nest manual!

If you go here you'll find Bronnie's website.

Here are the details of the book if you too would like to get a hold of it.

Brolga Publishing/Macmillian
Author: Bronnie Masefau
ISBN: 9781921221248
RRP: $39.95

Ring Candelo Books to make your order. Mer, get your ordering fingers ready;)

I Love Early Mornings!

I love this time of morning. It's 5am and I've been up for an hour already. My hormones play havoc and stuff my body clock around these days but I'm using it to my advantage now and welcome the early hours of quiet to myself. The fire's raging and I'm as warm as toast while outside the garden is frosting up and chilled to the bone.

Writing and thinking at this time in the morning is my most productive. My cuppa is a brewing and I'm ready to take that first delicious sip of tea to get me going. Ooh, it's lovely!

 

I hope you all have a lovely day xx

Poppy and The Paparazzi

 

...Na na na na na
I wanna start a fight
Na na na na na
I wanna start a fight

So what I'm still a rock star
I got my rock moves
And I don't need you
And guess what
I'm havin more fun....

If Poppy could have her own song, it would definitely be Pink's 'So What'. Poppy has the attitude of a rock star and the look to go with it.

Lewi, the paparazzi, captured these images of  the cocker spaniel Rock Star this morning. She only gave him a minute of her precious time as she rushed from one busy scheduled meeting to another. Distracted by the hype, Poppy posed momentarily...

   
before rushing off to face, yet another busy rock star day.

Anne Marie

This is a post I wrote on the 22nd of March, 2010. I have been waiting for the appropriate time to add it to my blog. I feel that the time has now arrived.

March 22nd, 2010

Yesterday the world lost a beautiful person and unschooling mum.


For the past 12 months Anne Marie had breast cancer and spent much dedicated time working on becoming well. Anne Marie died on the 21st of March, 2010. She will be sadly missed by so many, many people, and in particular her 3 beautiful children and devoted husband, Roger.

I first met Anne Marie at the very beginning of our unschooling journey. We met at a get together in Cobargo where a group of us discussed our desires to home school. We made plans to meet regularly together and share in our homeschooling journeys. I was instantly drawn to Anne Marie and Roger and felt a desire to get to know them better. This was the start of a fond friendship and many wonderful times together sharing our lives as unschooling families.

Some time later came the wonderful news that Anne Marie was pregnant with their third child. Their beautiful baby boy was born and their little nest became a fuller one. Anne Marie spent her time devoted to her children and family life, enabling her children to learn freely and naturally at home. She spent her years as a mother making precious memories with her children...forever memories that will remain with them always.

May God comfort Anne Marie’s family in these times of great loss and sadness. As time goes on may they be comforted, in some way, by their memories of this beautiful wife, mother and friend who left her gentle and definite mark on this world.

Anne Marie – it has been a pleasure knowing you and your beautiful family. Thank you for all of your dedication to parenting and unschooling. Thank you for your friendship and the many wonderful chats. Thank you for being a part of our lives. You will be so greatly missed and your memory will be forever etched in our hearts. xxxxxxxxx

Autumn in Beautiful Bega

Autumn in Bega is beautiful! The weather is perfect and the deciduous trees are plentiful. The town comes to life with autumn foliage and it is the perfect time to go for long walks around the streets looking at the golds and reds and oranges that glitz up the place.

Here's a little taste of autumn where I love....my favourite time of year.