A day at the Market

Mathilda's Market in Brisbane has come and gone, and it was a great day with big crowds and beautiful wares. Here's a few piccies of what we had to offer on the day!

How's this for innovation??

Many is the time I have nursed, cuddled, rocked my babies to sleep (I know, against all the rules!) and with great trepidation lowered them down to their cot only to have those sweet little eyes open along with those loud little lungs! My heart sinks, and the process starts again. Someone needed to come up with a great idea to get babies from arms to cot without disturbing them.

Well, how's this for a clever device? Attach the bassinette to a rocking chair and away you go! No worries about spoiling the baby by having them go to sleep in your arms, and if you are lucky you will nod off to sleep also!

Perhaps a short term fix, but I love the innovative thinker who came up with this piece of furniture - no doubt bleary-eyed in the middle of the night after going through the abovementioned scenario themselves!

Where to buy one, well these ones are called the Rockid from Ontwerpduo. Locally, not sure at the moment - got a handy husband??

We'll be at Mathilda's Market on Nov. 6th!

Hooray!!! Little Light House will be showcasing our newest fabrics and lampshade styles at the upcoming Mathilda's Market in Brisbane on November 6th!! Come along and see the lovely display of our most popular designs and our latest additions, which we are very excited about.

Some fabrics make me catch my breath, and when this happens I know they are perfect for Little Light House - and these latest ones do exactly that. I hope you'll love them as much as I do. I won't give too much away now, they will be released at this Mathilda's Market.

If you have any lampshades which you would particularly like to see at the MM, then please drop me an email, so I can make sure I have that one on show. We have so many styles now, it is nearly impossible to showcase them all in a market environment.

I look forward to seeing you at the Eagle Farm Racecourse on November 6th! It will be a beautiful event, full of handmade, gorgeous products - a perfect Christmas shopping experience.

Red Chair Interiors

It has been my pleasure to recently work with Georgie Oates of Red Chair Interiors. Georgie is an Interior Designer based in Tamworth NSW, and she services that area and its surrounding districts. Georgie loves to go on a mission for her clients in order to find unique and exciting products, products which they are not going to find in any other home close by. "It is all about hand picking the finer details for my clients that will complete their brief, over and above their expectations" says Georgie.

With this in mind, Georgie approached Little Light House about our "Flowers" -Hot Pink lampshade for a client's daughter. The bedlinen was lovely, yet it required something to give it the "Wow" factor. "Flowers" - Hot Pink with its gorgeous colours and silver detail was just the thing. Added to this was one of our new cushions, and as the photo below shows, she created a lovely bedroom for a lucky little girl.

Georgie can be contacted on M. 0427 428 244.

Our new Cylinder shades with legs.

I am excited to say we have a new lighting option at Little Light House. You can forget about trying to find the perfect lamp base, these cylinder shades come with the lot! Having a diameter of 7" and height of 40cms, these stylish cylinders stand on their own three 'feet' when it comes to modern lighting. They are equipped with a power cord with an online switch for easy use - so simple, yet a contemporary lighting option for the young, modern child!

Shown above is "Flowers" - Blue, but you can choose any of our gorgeous fabrics, or even supply your own, to have this style of shade made. A style not just for the kids, supply some fabric for your own room.

My Sweet Prints - Gorgeous customised art.

If you are after a lovely, personalised print for your home, your baby's nursery or as a unique gift idea - I highly recommend you check out www.mysweetprints.com.au

My Sweet Prints is the brainchild of Graphic Designer, Illustrator, and mother of one boy, Janette Baker. Based in Sydney, Janette creates a wonderful selection of prints which can be personalised to suit your needs. My cousin received the style of print shown above as a gift for her newborn, Samuel with all his birth details - she loved it so much, she wants to get one for her older child too.

This print shown below is one of my favourites, and is high on my list for our home. I think it is so sweet and conveys a lovely message. Of course, you add your own street name for the personalised touch!

For your own sweet print, go to www.mysweetprints.com.au

All things birds

Well, my little Emma is 10 weeks old and moving out of her bassinette and into her cot in her own bedroom - gasp, she is growing up, soon she'll be driving!! My nesting instinct has really kicked in, and I am in full decorator mode trying to pretty up the room for a little girl. For some reason I am really drawn to all things birds! Is it because she is my "little chicken"? Is it because I am so "clucky" over her? Whatever the reason my feathers are ruffled (pardon the pun!) over these latest finds which I am adding to her special space!

First stop was My Munchkin Home who have the most delicious wall decals. The above image is the decal chosen for Emma's room, in white, and it looks wonderful!

Secondly, I stumbled across the lovely website www.haveyoumetmissjones.com.au and saw these adorable little china bird houses - mmmm, yes please!

Thirdly, browsing on www.madeit.com.au I found Ernie & Bird who make gorgeous fabric bird mobiles - so cute!

I think it's all coming together nicely, but I am still on the search for those extra special items which catch my eye. It's such fun, there is so much talent out there. And afterall, isn't it the special touches which make a house a home? Fill your's with the bits and pieces you love, (and the people!) and enjoy!

Welcome little Emma

Well, happy news.... on Monday 24th May, little Emma Jackson was born! Weighing in at 8pds 14oz, she is a healthy, hearty little girl. Although we are terribly sleep deprived, she is a very welcome addition to the family. So, who has some great sleep tips??

Peekaboo Magazine

Hooray for Bianca Shugg and her new and wonderful magazine! Peekaboo Magazine is the brainchild of this Brisbane mother who recognised a need for a classy publication detailing the talents and events on and around Brisbane. Available as either a printed magazine, or an online magazine, it is full of the wonderful local, talented people of Brisbane and surrounds. A key element to the mag is the inclusion of a map outlining the locations of the must-see spots/shops around our great city.

Issued quarterly, watch out for June's issue available online from 1st June.

Classic Ticking Stripe

Ticking fabric, yes we now have it! This classic, timeless fabric makes up beautifully into lampshades which will co-ordinate with the myriad of bedlinens available. A simple, yet stylish addition to solve the lighting issues in your child's room.

Here is a sneek preview of our new shades, available in Navy, Rust, and Pink :

Happy Mothers' Day for the 9th May!

To all those wonderful Mums out there, I hope you have a very special day with those you love!

I have my fingers crossed for a very special arrival this Mothers' Day, to add to my two beautiful children.

Love to all. xx

Beguile - Soaps which look good enough to eat!

It was my Mum's birthday recently, and one of her requests was for some lovely smelling soaps to use everyday. So, I set about searching online for a beautiful gift for her. I stumbled across a very talented soap maker here in Australia, based in NSW - Kathy from Beguile.

All of Beguile's products are handmade by Kathy, and are inspired by nature to help give us beautiful, healthy skin while delighting our senses. To create her natural, fragrant, skin loving, luxurious products she uses only the earth's finest natural ingredients from the botanical world. The skin is our largest organ, and anything we place on it can be absorbed directly into our bodies, so using natural products, instead of harsh chemicals and un-natural ingredients can make a big difference to our health.

Beguile not only makes gorgeous soaps, but body scrubs, skin elixirs, pure oils, lip balms, etc, etc. And all the products smell and look divine, while working their natural magic on our bodies. My Mum will love her special birthday gift this year!

With Mothers' Day fast approaching, why not check out Beguile's website and order something special for your Mum!

Bondville

The lovely Steph Bond is the creative talent behind Bondville, a very stylish blog covering all things for baby, child, mum, and home. Recently I met up with Steph at my cousin's baby shower, which was a lovely, stylie affair - see Steph's blog for more info on Caro's baby shower and the delectables offered.

Steph is kept very busy with three blogs of her own - Bondville Kids, Bondville Weddings, and Bondville Travel - all very informative and fun to read. Check them out, and support this local grown talent!

New from Wallace Cotton

I am a BIG fan of Wallace Cotton bedlinen and accessories. I have blogged about them before, and having just received their latest catalogue in the mail, feel the need to blog again! This NZ based company produce the most gorgeous of homewares for all members of the family. From quilts, to fluffy bath towels, to organic cotton sheets, to cushions, to pyjamas - I just love it all! I am a loyal customer, the shipping is quick and easy to Australia, the quality is wonderful and the pricing reasonable. I can see I will be tempted yet again!

For your own drool-worthy experience, visit them at www.wallacecotton.com

Little Posers - divine photography!

Being 28 weeks pregnant, all things 'baby' are on my mind! Whilst browsing the Mathilda's Market website, I came across an incredibly talented Brisbane woman who is specialising in portrait photography of newborns. Lana Bell is the creative force behind Little Posers, and her portfolio of work really made me gasp with delight! She has captured the gorgeousness of babies in their first days of life out of the womb, photos which would be treasured for generations to come. Needless to say, I am in the process of placing a booking with her for when my own little bundle of deliciousness arrives in May.

Even if you aren't in the baby market, you will really enjoy browsing the photos shown on Lana's website.

Wonderful new frames from Obrien Schridde Designs

I have previously posted an article about the gorgeous creations from Obrien Schridde Designs. This very talented, LA-based duo create elegant, timeless timber photo frames which are perfect for tastefully showing off family photos and favourite piccies. Happily I can tell you they have added two lovely new designs to their exceptional range, "Nostalgic" (above left) and "Ivy" (above right). These new frames are smaller and more delicate in design, and complement their existing range of frames beautifully.

These frames, once hung, become a talking point in your home, showing off your pictures and also your wonderful personal style.

Ensparkle Ceramics

For gorgeous, hand-painted ceramics you can't go past Ensparkle Ceramics. These wonderful keepsakes are designed and painted by mother of two, Helen, in Sydney Australia. Such cute creations which would make wonderful Christening gifts, birthday gifts, or just lovely items to use in the home! There are cups, plates, bowls, jugs and cake stands to choose from, and you can personalise each item with a child's name or special wording, teamed with a choice of cute images.

All products are non-toxic, using dinnerware safe paints and glaze, so you needn't worry about what your child is actually ingesting (apart from their nutritious dinners!). Preparation and clean-up are easy as they are microwave and dishwasher safe too! Helen has thought of everything to make our lives simpler!

Do some shopping at Ensparkle Ceramics, you will be delighted.

Jacob and Bonomi - fresh designs

We mothers are a creative bunch, often not realising our creative potential until motherhood comes along. I know this was the case for me with Little Light House, and it was also the case for Emma Gordon of Jacob & Bonomi . This Australian business specialises in quality, modern designs for children's bed linen. Emma recognised the need for more options in kids' bedding after her son moved from crib to cot and she wasn't given enough choice from the existing brands.

Shown above left is their gorgeous "Tree of Life" single bed doona set (rrp $120), and above right is their delightful "Little Pirate" cot set (rrp $62). Jacob & Bonomi offer a wonderful range of coordinating accessories for their designs, such as this plush cot blanket (shown below). Me thinks this "Bright Star" blanket might be the perfect companion to our Little Light House "Stars" lampshade!! Check out Jacob & Bonomi for a fresh and modern approach to your kids' rooms!

Wonderfully nautical

There is something very appealing about all things nautical. I love the crisp, clean colours of nautical decor teamed with gorgeous timber furniture. If, like me, you yearn for a house on the water, and your ideal holiday is one spent on the coast somewhere - then perhaps browsing around www.nautical-living.co.uk will tantalise your senses! Although based in the UK, they have a wonderful collection of homewares for any of the rooms in your house (see images above for a sample). Perfect for boy's bedrooms, the nautical colours/theme is a very masculine look which can grow with them as they grow older.

Take a look at www.nautical-living.co.uk and gain some inspiration for your nautical decorating style. Of course, we have the perfect lampshades to coordinate with the nautical room!