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.
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
Another sweetie is the 
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.
You may have realised that I adore anything which is styled well, and these next three photos from 
These stoneware flowers would look great as place settings don't you think?
And imagine little dipping bowls made from thin bone china...stunning!
These 
These 
My new favourite cover this season is this 
and it has some embroidery detailing on each side of the print and a red ticking back (which will be for a limited time).
The Bride and Groom.
This is the table that greeted the guests. I had set up the guest book and some cameras so you could take a photo of you and your partner, which will be developed and stuck in the book alongside the comment from each of the guests. I also re-used one of the church pew bunches to lay on this table. It is the bunch of native branches with the glass heart and ribbon (I have just realised I didn't get any shots from the church, so once the real photos come back, I will post them). A little white lantern and one of my soft gold coloured antique jugs (that went wonderfully with the brides gown) that was filled with Irises, Daisies and twisted willow finished of this table.
Here is the gift table...with a view!
It all worked so well together!!
The tables were arranged with glass vases filled with Irises (which is what the Bride carried), Daisies (the flower girls and grooms flowers) and willow. I also added bowls of pink (a Brides fave colour) and white marshmallows so the guests could have a little nibble between courses. Eight glass tea light jars surrounded the vase for warmth...and seeing it was a lunch time wedding there was no huge need for lots of candle light- but its always nice to have some.
Hearts was the theme along with gold and purple, so I made up clay hearts and hand stamped each guests name and a small heart onto all of the place tags and tied a thin purple ribbon on each. This became the gift for each person to take with them.
...the store I have longed for all this time?
The ever inspirational and uber talented 
...her gorgeous studio.
Recently, 
I have often thought it would be lovely to have local plants and products to sell and seeing we are in a tourist country town and our little shed is in a prime stopping spot, and I can work my own hours (even seasonally), no rent, baby sitters/child care etc...it just makes more sense.
Now, 
You know from my recent project post that I am a fan of the blackboard and the fact that I love calligraphy just seem to go hand in hand for shop signs don't you think?
Here is the inside of 
Now you know why this is my Dream Home!!
I know I have shown photos of this home before (you can see one on my side bar under Dream Home), but now I have the whole visual package, I thought we would have another look...cause I never tire of this place!!
...ornate mirrors, loads of light...and gorgeous lighting.
The outdoors doesn't disappoint either.
But, this is the picture that started it all - the kitchen! Superb.
This stunning home belongs to Caroline Scheeler and was recently featured in 
What a lovely place to sit and watch the world go by! The coffee table can be bought here in Australia at 
This has to be the idea of the week! These panels were rescued from an old Horse stable and pair up well with an antique French gilded mirror...and I love the reflection!!
Gorgeous!!!
I am not usually a fan of animal prints, but I can take it here. The Italian headboard reminds me of 
Panelling in a bathroom always looks stylish, and I love it around this bath.
The fact that Caroline travels the world for her job is evident in all of the well chosen vignettes she has around her home. This one features a vintage Italian sunburst mirror, a foot of an old claw foot bath and suitcases she has picked up at a Belgian flea market.
Love the scissors...and of course the Hydrangeas!
A great pair- apples and wicker.
BEFORE
Step 1- Remove the ugly keys hanger that came with the house.
Step 2- Give the panel a light sand to give the paint something to key to.
Here is the paint I used. Water based, no fuss...brilliant!
Step 4- Once dry, rub white chalk over entire board. Then rub it all in with a dry cloth for that softer, used, school board look.
Step 5- Hang small cup hooks to hang our keys from and test out with a few messages that I had better not forget!
Step 6- Put everything back......and add my 'new' Bakelite phone that Mum brought on the plane with her..yay!
Isn't it great? Still needs a good shining and clean, but I think it is just perfect for this space and goes so well with our old home.
Voila!! project done.
Loving these little berries that have burst through on a bush we have out the back. They make a little change to my usual display of flowers or greenery.
Oh, I have been meaning to show you this picture of some Echidnas (native Australian wildlife) I took the boys to see recently. They are SO cute and you sit on the floor and they just walk all around you. One even climbed over Mason!! I don't have a photo of that as I was trying to stop him from touching them=))
Have you ever had a day where you have no 'get up and go'?
The inside also sports my favourites - natural matting, floorboards, ticking, the glass ball lamp, squishy sofas and loads of cushions to sink into. The colour of the walls is very similar to our own home. This photo has me thinking that now I really want to cover our other sofa in blue and white ticking...in reverse though. What do you think??
Th kitchen is just a s beautiful. 
BEFORE
This is from underneath the stool. The stools lid actually lifts to reveal a storage compartment and has a weird little box thing inside. This is the underside of the box which shows the makers label. I have kept this on because I think it adds a sense of history to it...even though it may not be overly old. I am thinking 70's.
AFTER
Here is my little stool now. All that is left to do is give it a wipe over with bees wax to seal the wood. I am so happy with how it turned out and it only took an hour!!
BEFORE
AFTER
Loads of food and lovely friends attended Bernadette's 'Hen's Tea'. Not a hens night and not a kitchen tea, more like a get together (girl style) to celebrate Bernadette's upcoming Wedding.
Here are some of the girls that attended. Sorry about my head looking so large at the front of the photo, but I had to set the timer (we just figured out how to do it!!) and try and squat down without sitting on feet before the shot was taken!!!
We gave her a big basket of goodies for her home and played games, one of which was to 'design' a wedding gown out of toilet paper...very funny. The 'bride'~in the middle, Narelle and her team mate, Leonie, won this one. Even the baby was dressed as a flower girl...so sweet!
After a lovely day, too much food and lovely company all I wanted to do was lie down and nap on the chaise!!
This is my office at present and this wall is where I envision the tattered fabric. Being that I am of Scottish heritage (all my family were born there) and Australian (I was the only one born here), I think it would be fitting to have the St Andrews cross and an Aussie flag together...
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