The Blue Mood Continued...

My blue obsession continues, with me moving onto blue fabrics, particularly something I can use as an art piece for our bedroom, which has a massive white wall at the end of the bed with only a walkspace beside it. When only a wall hanging will do...!

So many beautiful arty fabrics out there, here are some faves...

Rigi in colour Ink from Kravet

Siirtolapuutarha Fabric in Blue-Green by Maija Louekari for Marimekko

Fanfare in Kingfisher from Warwick Fabrics

Simboli in Blue & White by Fortuny from Ascraft

Pondicherry Ikat in Blue by Travers from Unique Fabrics

Not completely blue I know! but cool all the same
Geometric by Christian Fischbacher, available from Zepel Fabrics

Salaria in Blue by Travers from Unique Fabrics

Pop Art in Dazzling Blue by Aldeco from Ascraft

Akira in Cobalt from Warwick Fabrics 

362436 in Indigo by Studioilse for Christopher Farr, from Ascraft

kitchen musings

We are still awaiting a big move into a house in Sydney, hence we are in limbo land which kind of means everything around me is as well. But the good news is the house is in dire need of a new kitchen so my first personal reno will soon be afoot!

We are on a super shoestring budget so I am heading over to my favourite place in the whole world for ours - Ikea! You have heard me sing their praises before so I'll hold back (but they do have some fab designs!, OK stop now) but I have also been seeking inspiration online, here is a list of fave kitchen design elements... (Alright so it's a wish list but you might add some I haven't thought of too)

Kitchen Art: get those frames in there!

Loving the yellow... Image: Freshome

Window Splashback: love these, who wants to stare at tiles when you're cooking when you can see the garden, a view to water, a mosaic wall, or even a couple of pot plants?

View to the garden. Image: Freshome

wouldn't mind this oven too! Image: homeone.com.au

Bold colour scheme: check out this fab kitchen...

Punchy. Image: Freshome

Pot rack: quite like them in front of the window...

Pots preferable to blinds. Image: Houzz

Image: Houzz

Cool Stools: even if they are completely impractical

You would have to try them for boing factor surely? Image: Houzz

Love these! Image: Houzz

Other things on the wish list, double oven (don't have $$ or space for that one), servery into the backyard, fridge with ice machine, matching cutlery and unchipped plates!

Sisters' Market day

Why have I not gone to one of these earlier??? Sisters' Market runs every 2 months from Brunswick Town Hall (also sometimes in St Kilda) and I finally got to one of them thanks to a tip-off from A - thanks A! Had seen them advertised periodically but never found out what they were - so glad I made it last Saturday!

The market consists of local designers and manufacturers selling their crafty goodness. Everything from retro lamps, funky jewellery to cool kids threads and yum aromatherapy candles. I only had an hour to get around this one (not to mention a strained wallet) which was a bummer - next time I come for a good long while and money to spend!

Some of my faves:

Retro Print Revival

Retro Print Revival's stall at Sisters' Market

Tamara Watts finds all those funky ceramic retro lamps everyone is coveting and pairs them up with these great original prints on her custom-made lampshades. How fab is this butterfly/bronze one? Wish I had a spot for it in my tiny house...

love love love!

 zee&me

zee&me's cute stall at Sisters' Market

Such cute prints on these tees for kids! And awesome designs for boys. So often I find all the best kid's clothes out there are for girls, boys get stuck with the 'Monster' ones so I was chuffed to see the gorgeous threads for boys by Rosemaree Russo and Melissa Serratore, local girls who have been doin what they do for a year now. And the feelgood factor is there too with all product sourced ethically and no cheap labour used. Bonus!

How cool is this Whale design for boys, too cute

Maxymoo Designs

Just loved these little canvases from Maxymoo, so perfect for little people's rooms, I could not buy any as I would have had to have them all and made an awesome collage on the wall of the boys' room. Actually, now I'm thinking...

Fab canvases from Maxymoo

Tracey Hanson has been hand-painting these little canvases for 5 years, and she also has two small boys (although they prob aren't so small now). As she explains on her site, because little people's worlds are already so busy, she wanted to design kid's art that goes back to the fundamentals, strong colour with bold graphics - and it works!

The Maxymoo stall, Sisters' Market

Wood hangings by Maxymoo

cherry stew

This one is mine!

I loved Madeleine Somers work, I so nearly bought this purple pic but just had no cashola (sorry Madeleine!) plus these are all very limited edition, she mentioned this was the last of the gorgeous purple linen she used - hope I can grab it at your next market! (hmm maybe I'll email you...)

cherry stew at Sisters' Market

Madeleine is a Melbourne girl who makes this fab clothing, quilts, cushions and accessories all with sweet prints and lsuh fabrics, I have a thing about bare trees so just love these designs - will definitely be back!

So sweet! Dress by cherry stew

So many more great stalls here, too many to mention and the fact that I had limited time meant a bit of rushing on my part - poo! But never fear, I shall return! (And just in time for xmas pressies people...)

PS the Bretzels were tasty too!

mila's daydreams

My friend H just sent me a link to this site - I just love it - Thanks H!

My Precious Pearl from Mila's Daydreams

What an awesome idea, Adele Enersen is a copywriter on maternity leave in Finland, and is using Mila's daytime naps as inspirations for her dreams, creating these fab landscapes around her.

Bookworm from Mila's Daydreams

From her blog, Adele explains the scenes created only take a few minutes, from creating the idea through to implementing and editing. Mila is placed into the scene while asleep, the picture is taken and she is put back into bed for minimal disturbance.

Up! from Mila's Daydreams

Up! is my favourite, just want to eat her little feet! Such an amazing blog, full of great images and fanciful scenes with the cutest little sleepy bub. It made me think of my little men, and what they might be dreaming about... love it - highly recommended!

Clean Lines made the awesome tree

How great is this tree?

the awesome tree

A friend and I stumbled across it while attending the Clean Lines exhibition for the State of Design fest, which was also fab... Adaptive Re-use was the theme of the night, some highlights for me:

Stencil & Screen Art - Ralf Kempken

We were absolutely captivated by the entrance artwork for the exhibition below, and to think it's a cut-up bed sheet!

Unknown Laundry by Ralf Kempken - with cute terrier

Jewellery - Shimara Carlow

Lovely and delicate silverwork, fashioned into pretty pieces inspired by nature. Loved the 'Adaptive-Re-use' of the milkbottle jewellery too! I reckon I might be commissioning a piece of my own...

Image courtesy Shimara

 Lighting - Volker Haug

I had seen Volker Haug's designs on The Design Files and was fascinated, so it was great to see his stuff in the flesh. I love Rudolph!

Animal Art - Rona Green

We loved Rona's work, esp since my companion is an animal lover, Dutch, below was a favourite and my chosen bookmark.

Dutch by Rona Green

All the exhibitors were great, and loved seeing the Adaptive Re-use (theme of the night) of the Mercator Studios (which was originally a laundry), but I do have to say the find of the night was the tree! Have to head back for more shots with the tripod I reckon...

Oh, ending the night with tapas at Kojo Brown was pretty special too - Thanks E!