Summers in France – a Beautiful New Book
This book had me at hello…or bonjour. Summers in France by Kathryn M Ireland. Some books take a bit of browsing through, to convince you they are nice. This one grabs you immediately.
I nearly only bought one copy, just to take home, not sell in the shop. But I thought if I love it you will as well.
If you love the casual Provence style of decorating,beautiful evocative images of tasteful, fun, family oriented rooms, this book is for you.
I only have two copies, and the one that came home with me, but I’m not parting with that. $49.99.
See you in the store.
Just Arrived – Lots of Blackboards
Lovely things are still arriving from the Sydney gift fair.
Today it was jugs and blackboards. Lots of both.
I actually went a big mad with blackboards at the giftfair. I LOVE them. Lots of uses around the house.
Mini ones and large heart shaped ones. Large white easels with blackboards.
Come in and have a look.
See you in the store.
A Lovely New Book
A Warm Welcome
Easter is only weeks away. Actually it snuck up on me.
Will you have guests this Easter?
Once you move to Noosa, of course, more people want to visit you.
So, I thought you might like this book.
A Warm Welcome – How to be a gracious host to friends and family.
Really beautifully illustrated. Nice suggestions.
These images are not from the book, but indicative of those that are.
In the chapter on Preparing the Guestroom the author suggests, for the bed side table:
+ an alarm clock
+ a water bottle and glass
+ a reading light
Near a window seat or reading chair, you should have:
+ interesting books
+ cozy throw
+ daily newspaper
+ recent magazines
All I can say is…..INVITE ME ! It all sound wonderful.
I have two or three copies of the book in the store. Hardcover – $15.99.
I’ll write more from the book next week.
See you in the store.
The Most Fabulous Jars EVER – Sydney Gift Fair Part 3
Do you love jars? Do you display things in jars? Love the way a bunch of everyday things look when placed in a jar?
Using jars for decorating is an age old idea. Lollies in jars in the local shop. Biscuits in jars in the coffee shop.
Antique apothecary jars are VERY popular at the moment. Here are some great jar ideas.
I lost sleep over these jars at the gift fair. Saw them on Day 1, couldn’t get back until Day 3 to order them and was really worried they would be sold out
Imagine these full of apples, or shells, or sox or anything. In the centre of your dining table or on the kitchen bench. Anywhere you put these they will be spectacular.
I got the guy importing them to stand next to this jar so you could see how big it is. OMG! as they say.
Three sizes, all huge. I ordered 3 of each size and two will come home with me. I’ll let you know when they arrive.
See you in the store.
Sydney Gift Fair – Part 2 – Colour is here!
If you were in any doubt that colour is coming back to interior design, the Sydney Gift Fair would have convinced you.
Our interiors have been white for as long as I can remember.
Have a look. Colour on show at the Sydney Gift Fair 2012. The pink velvet chair took my breath away.
See you in the store.
Colours for 2012 – cont.
Scroll down to my previous blog post and you wil see the colour predicted to be HOT for 2012. Very dark.
There is also a link to a wonderful online catalogue from a company called Serena & Lily.
Another inspirational image from them.
My dream bedroom had been very pale and linen-y before I saw this.
The colour on the wall – I mean WOW!- is close to a Dulux colour call MELON BABY, which even I would have hesitated to use……but now I am tempted. Especially with the gloss white.
Think about some bold splash of colour in your home this year.
See you in the store.
Ebay broke my heart.
Well, I don’t blame eBay, so much as some greedy nameless bidders who made me realise I am still an eBay newbie.
But I am learning QUICKLY !
This is it…..
how lovely is this table. I know, wonderful right?
Just the right amount of things done to it, and not done to it. The peeling paint, the stipped back top.
I had the place picked out for it in the store. I could picture the stylish merchandising I could do on top of it.
I placed a bid last week, just to get my hand in the game. Then I set my phone alarm for 15 minutes before the end of bidding last night. My limit…..$450.
At 8.10pm last night, mine was the highest bid at $320, so I thought, maybe I’ll get a bargain here…..bidding would end at 8.15pm.
At 8.13pm I was out bid at $400, so I bid again to my limit. AND THEN IT HAPPENED.
In the last 50 seconds, bidding went from $450 to $950 and I watched while two bidders took that table our of my hands and up to $1,195.
It was amazing and heart breaking all at the same time.
Well…I have a bid on another table. Not nearly as wonderful. But, its probably best to get back on the horse.
I am off to watch a video on Youtube about how to bid on eBay.
See you in the store.
New Display with a Beachy Theme
Well, it’s Christmas in Noosa. The beaches are BEAUTIFUL. The water is as clear as I have ever experienced it.
After a life affirming swim in the river last week, I was inspired to develop a display for the shop with a beach theme. Not unusual for my business. We have a shell section and a ‘whitewashed beach decor’ wall, and this is a lovely addition to those.
We are in the middle of our HUGE 12 Days of Christmas Event.
This always adds a level of excitement and joy to each day. This will end on Christmas Eve. But before this, on Friday night 23rd, we will host a VIP only night of shopping with some wonderful bargains on the night. A great night to come in and have a look at this new display.
See you in the store.
Old Wardrobe – New Kitchen Cupboard
I have always wanted to restore an old wardrobe, and turn it into a kitchen cupboard.For displaying in the shop window.
At Pomona just after Christmas I found an old wardrobe at a very good price, and got stuck into it.
Step 1. was to strip back all the paint. It was cream, and I could have painted over it, but the result would not have been as good.
Step 2 was sand and two coats of white paint. Some done at home and some done at work. Hooray for paint rollers I say. So much better than a brush.
Then finally, three months later, the wardrobe made it debute in the shop window.
Come in and have a look.
See you in the store.
Christmas Table – very Queensland
This beautiful Christmas Day table came from Anna Spiro in Brisbane.
An image that did not make it into the lastest Ivy & Piper mini Christmas mag.
I love it. I have had ever Christmas of my life in Queensland. Here in Noosa, at my Mums in Bardon, at my old house in Camp Hill and all of them were green and lush, just like this.
With pretty tables of one sort or another, because that was a tradition my Mum passed on. A well set table.
Also from the same mini mag, from the team at D.I.G in James Street Brisbane.
NOW, about both of these tables…….linen tablecloths OR painters dropsheets???
See you in the store.
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Elizabeth Simpson
Simpsons Mitre 10
Noosa Junction
24 Lanyana Way
Noosa Junction
PH: 5447 4888
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