Little bubble and tree- Magnolia Square St Kilda.....

This is where you will find me for the next 4 days. Magnolia Square St Kilda.
I can't wait to see all my friends and stock up on my christmas list. Perfect for ticking off the list.....teachers at creche, kinder, kris kringle etc.
Pop on by and say hi.

Click here to see footage of the Postcards special on Magnolia Square. This was taken in St Kilda Town Hall March 2010.....you might even recognise the opening retailer!

little bubble and tree at Magnolia Square Adelaide....

Spending the weekend in Adelaide for Magnolia square. We are having a fantastic time shopping, and meeting all of my fellow retailers and customers. 

We are situated on 175 The Parade in Norwood in the concert hall which is a beautiful old building, with gorgeous artwork on the walls and beautiful fret work and detail.

We are here for one more day, so come on down if you are in Adelaide tomorrow between 10-4pm. 
If you are not here in SA - make sure you tell your friends and family to make the journey - they will not be disappointed!

I am so excited to have my final shop around tomorrow. There are some truly beautiful wares, great music and yummy coffee. 
Pop by and say hi.

Props and displays created by the very talented Nic from Magnolia Square. All photos have been taken from the Magnolia snippets blog, where you will find some more lovely retailers.

Elephant walk cushion.....

One of my favourite kaftan's for kids this season has a gorgeous paisley print that I just had to use again somewhere else. What better than on an elephant cushion! It will add a kooky touch to any child's bedroom, a bright chair  or even to brighten up a chair.

busy week ahead....

Well after 7 months of rest- it is Magnolia square time! I am really excited to be a part of it again, and at my favorite venue Malvern town hall. 
I love seeing all my friends for the 3 days for a gabble, not to mention all the eating, shopping and drinking lattes all day. 
I am about to start painting some new props for the stand. I am constantly changing the look to keep me from getting bored, and for you to see we are always moving forward and creating new things! 
The new summer range will be on show, now in sizes 2 - 10. 
I have selected a few tops in size 12 and 14 for girls, as I constantly hear how hard this age group is to buy for.

Here is my new Evie dress for girls. Available in sizes 2 - 10. If you can't get down to Magnolia square this week you can shoot me an email, and I will let you know your closest stockist.

I love Little Red - rock it....

  
You know when you hear a song, and you know from 3 seconds into the song that you have to listen to it over, and over and over. Well this is how I felt when I heard Rock it by Little red. 
The best part is they are Australian, and even from Melbourne (I think its Melb) - woo hoo!
The record (haha - record) is ace, I really like it. I love the film clips too. There is a really groovy sound to them - which is a light, summer music sound (if you know what I mean!). Also cool bop your head dancing.
They have been compared to the sound of The beach Boys and Brian Wilson -  what do you think??
Do yourself a favour and listen to it - tell me you don't bop your head to it!

daylight saving....

I love daylight saving. Such a lovely sign of Summer on the way. The only downside is thinking you have got hours left of the day, and then realise it is actually dinnertime, and you haven't even started to prepare anything - this was me last night.
Now in October it means market time. I will be at Magnolia square in 3 weeks in Malvern, then off to Sydney, Adelaide and back in St Kilda in December......lots to prepare for!

I am changing my look this year......even though there is only 2 months of it left. I hope it looks like what I have in my head!

My new flosey bloomers.

croc face boys tee......

I find it difficult at times to buy boys tees. I like the plain tee, with a little bit of a pattern or logo - without it looking too young or scary (skulls etc). 

I have some news boys tees this summer - the croc face tee. They are in a variety of colours, lime green, white, royal blue, chocolate and light blue. This one is my favorite, the aqua print really sits nice on the lime.

kids Instyle.....

It's taken me a little bit to get my act together and post again. Time has flown, and I have been running around like a mad woman, packing all the orders ready for the summer deliveries. I have just taken over the new nursery, with all my stock, boxes, rubbish and the like - much to the distress of my husband hee hee.
 I am like a squatter. I see space - and I grab it before anyone else lays their hat. 
Not that poor Marli has a chance of course (being a baby and all). I thought seeing I have her in my room for a while, I would jump at the opportunity of spreading out in a room I can close the door after I leave - and keep the dining room table clear for once!
This is what I have been doing for the past 4 weeks.....

Here are some pics from the recent kids Instyle. I love my new sign. This is a frame I picked up from my local framers - painted white, stuck in the sign and...... tah daaaaahhh!
I am having a bit of an obsession with this style of frame at the moment. Anything that needs reframing I am onto it. Mmmmmm I think I need another one for the kids room now I think of it......

The 'Sunny dress'....a very popular dress this summer....more pictures to come - I love it!

                         

                        

The Elephant garlands, a new line for little bubble and tree......great for kids rooms and nurseries or just about anywhere you want to add colour and fun!

                              

our new addition.....

I have been a little slow of late with blogging. I do have a good excuse though - I was pregnant, looking after my other 2 kids, run a house, run a business and try and fit in every other thing that popped into my life over the past 9 months.
So on 22nd July we were lucky enough to add a beautiful little girl to our family. Another quick labour (thank god), and a pink little bubba came into the world. I was so sure I was going to go early by the time I had her I felt like I was overdue by weeks - she actually was born right on the due date. We named her Marli Louise  and she weighed 8lb 8.5oz

 I was excited for my 5 days rest in hospital. I had so many things planned to do....like sort out the folders on my computer, rename photos, organise invoices, design new summer range and read all the blogs I have been neglecting
I have had this name Marli - for like - EVER, so it was nice to finally get to use it.
She is a little over a week old now, and she is just the most beautiful little girl in the world. 

I have embraced the whole 'pink clothing' thing more than I thought I would, and believe she looks better in this than any other colour - for now anyway.
I will try and resist dressing her like Punky Brewster when she is older - which was my dream when I was younger. Thank goodness she was born in 2010 and not the 80's.
The boys are loving having a new baby around, and have given her lots of kisses and cuddles. Lachie is a little rough with the whole patting the head thing, so he can't be given 'free hand' control around her.
He does love kissing her though, and saying Bubba six hundred and thirty five times a day.
I was lucky to have my friend Pru from little bird photography take some photos of her. Pru takes all my little bubble and tree shots, so I was so excited to see the results.
I will be getting more taken in a year when the kids are all a little older too. I just wish now that I had got the boys photographed at this age....Pru - where have you been all my life!

Check out Pru's blog here

the party - part four...

So to the last part of the circus party series. I really enjoyed this theme, it was so easy to put together. Don't be put off by all the activities - they are easy and cheap to buy.

We were lucky to already have this puppet show stand - so I placed it near the entrance with a basket full of over sized glasses, colourful wigs and clown noses. The kids dressed up and posed for funny face shots with a disposable camera.

Blowing out the candles......big 4 year old now!

the party - part three...

Ok here are a few more bits and bobs of the circus party.

Some simple games for the kids that were fun to make, and easy to play for tiny arms. Coin toss were just the chocolate coins in foil and little plastic hoops thrown from a 1m to try and catch some cash......watch for tiny ones smelling the chocolate through the foil though - we found a few teeth marks in the loot afterwards!

The winning tickets were given to the kids to hold onto until the end - better than chocolate and lollies being consumed during the party. 

The ring of fire was literally this - except for the real flames of course.

I decorated a bouncing ball as a lion and kids lined up and tried to throw the lion through the ring of fire.

The prize table was off limits during the party (for obvious reasons). This was situated besides the duck fishing game so we could use the kids playpen as a barrier from sneaky hands for both temptations!

It's all about the colour! 
Just by groupings of lollies in bowls, 100's and thousand's on cupcakes, popcorn, colourful tablecloths and cups make the theme seem bigger than it actually is. You don't have to spend a fortune, just a few homemade games, balloons and streamers around the house - all come together to make a carnival of fun!

the party - part two...

So part 2 of the circus party...... simple games were set up around the house for the kids to play as many times as they so desired. 

The fishing duck game seemed to be the most popular, probably for the fact that it involved water and was messy!

We gave the 'admit 1' tickets out to each parent as they arrived, and also some 'you win a prize' tickets. This gave the kids a feeling they were truly part of the circus. The parents just ripped off each ticket for the kids to hand back over, and then handed them the prize tickets when the task was completed.

Of course there were no real winners or losers - the prizes were all to be given out at the end anyway!

It didn't stop the kids holding onto the winning tickets like they were gold though - very cute.

You can never have enough lollies, the trick was though to have them as part of the prizes so kids weren't running around full of sugar. They were given the option of a cup of popcorn to nibble on, as they walked around playing the games. This added to the carnival spirit. 

Plastic clown toppers were purchased on ebay and really dressed up the cupcakes. 

the party - part one...

Ok, as promised here are a few pics from our Circus party.
It was a great fun theme to work on, and my head is still buzzing with new ideas I should of/could of have had.

Of course I left the preparation to the last few days - then Lachie was sick, so a whole day of planning was out the window. Thank goodness for Friday - thats when the magic happened and it all seemed to come together!

When the kids entered they we ushered straight I the lounge to decorate their party hat. This helped to keep the kids all at the same stage until everyone else arrived, otherwise some would have started the games and been over it before some had even started.....or so I thought....

Decorations were easy....colour....colour and more colour!
Bunting made from foam from a 2 dollar shop - my fav shop. Pop tops bought from supermarket and covered with own labels made on computer, Carnival boxes purchased from internet and knock em down games made from baked beans and spagetti tins - easy!

just never enough hours in the day.....

I have been trying to cross things off my list for - like - ever!
For every one task crossed off - I add another 3! I know I am not alone in this constant race we call life.....but it gets so frustrating that I want to start new things or even just think, and I feel guilty if I don't keep up working on the list.
This is what I feel like I have been making for the past 6 months straight - well thats because it has been 6 months worth of work. Still another 6 months worth of making them too. 

The little treasures have been going so well in the stores, here is a snippet of my last package sent out to a store.........circus party pics I promise next week.....I'll add it to my list!

a little customer turns 2.......

Just to get into the circus theme, I wanted to show you the turning 2 t-shirt that I made for a customer in South Australia. She was lucky enough to grab the last pair of pango pants that I have left - and what a fitting colour choice for a circus party!!

the circus is coming to town.......

I was always wanting to throw a circus party for Lucas after Alannah rose used our pango pants for their shoot. I had to put it off last year - due to too many markets that were around at the time. This year I am very pregnant, but thought if I was to put it off for another year, he might not be as interested in all the colour and who haa I had planned for his 4th year of living (like next year he might be into goth or something)

So to begin with we sent out the invites to the greatest show on earth.......

If you are planning a party you must go to Alannah rose and check out their beautiful range of boxed invites. Take time to look through the blog also as there is some beautiful party ideas to adapt to your own little shin dig.
I loved the thickness of these invites, and presented in the crisp white envelope made a smart invite I was proud to hand out.
I will show you the party ideas we had and the decorations I used this week.....

turning 4.......

How does 4 years fly by so quickly? Lucas turned 4 last week and we had a little party for him to celebrate with his friends. He is our first born - when he was born until this day.....

a little gallery by little bird photography......

A good friend of little bubble and tree has just opened a little gallery to showcase all her beautiful work. 

It is a great little space, and the way it has been decorated is just beautiful. I love the wall with the tree and the pictures hanging from the line - so cute!

If you are in the area you must pop in and say hi...Pru does all of our photography and I love her.             

a little gallery by little bird photography

139 union road surrey hills VIC 3127    +61 3 9898 2565

my child blog - little bubble and tree.......

Was very excited to be featured on the my child blog. It is funny how you have no editorial for ages - then all of a sudden you are in a few at once! I have been spoilt this week, so thank you.

little bubble and tree on postcards....

Our very exciting first television coverage. Woo hoo!!
Channel nines Postcards was filming at Magnolia square in March, and we were really lucky to have been selected to be part of the feature. Of course I knew I might have had a chance of being in as we watched the 10 mins of takes they did in front of my stand, but you never know if it might end up on the editors floor and not actually make the cut.
It showed last night at 5.30pm and of course coincided with bath time so I missed the intro - which was little bubble and tree! It was only until a friend called that I realised it was airing last night. Oh well, at least I have the footage from youtube to watch over and over and over....

bit of fun in the garden....

This morning when I was doing my daily routine of ABC cartoons on, bottle given to Lachie in highchair, Lucas deciding what he wants for breakfast....bubbles, no weetbix, no sultana bran - yeh sultana bran, like dad, but I want the pink bowl..... blah, bah, blah! WHATEVER - just eat it!
All quiet and happy I was gazing out the kitchen window into the garden (wondering how old kids have to be, before you can make them do the dishes)....then I noticed something in the garden. It was a mushroom, a fully grown mushroom! How did this happen? Where did it come from? Who planted it? 
I look out this window about 45 times a day standing at the sink, and I have never noticed any others springing up.

So I grabbed Lucas to have a closer look, after explaining to him never to pick it, or eat it, we went inside, grabbed his mice - and made a little scene.

I love how the water dripping from the shrubs above, have worn little holes in it - just like the spots on fairy mushrooms. (If I had more time I would have painted it.......mmmm....that might be tomorrows activity!)

The happy mice family in their mushroom garden, I wish I had small cups of tea and a teapot......I do have a life - really I do!

making, packing and orders.....

A busy weekend is planned of - staying at home and trrrrying to tick things off my list.
I have a few birdhouses to make for stores, so hopefully I can tick those off my list, then finish setting up my NEW storeroom! If it is clean enough I will show you some pics.
Until then, have a great weekend......

too good to eat with....

I love my new long spoons from Kek! I have loved this store even more since seeing them in the flesh last year in magnolia square - then had to cart my purchases back on the plane from Sydney - this was not easy seeing I was already over the luggage limit.

They have the most vibrant colours and even a few items will just brighten up your home in time. 

I went through a real dark wood Balinese faze for a while back there and only had brown and avacado coloured accessories, but now my home is starting to mimic the bright colours of this fantastic range - full of clashing colours, pinks and oranges and shades greens and blues. Love it!

this is me for the next 4 days.....

Well it's Magnolia square time again, and this year they have a shiny, big, new venue - St Kilda town hall.
This will be my last event for a while, as I am having a baby in July and I need to slow down .......YEH RIGHT! Well at least I am going to try.
I have re jigged the stand again, I try and do this every single event to try different things, but also as I like using different colourful props to best represent my product.
I have a new tree to display my little treasures. I just whipped it up last night while watching 'greys anatomy' (as you do) not that the show inspired me or anything, I just had all the kids off the floor to spread out with a big branch.
So if you are free or need some retail therapy please come n down as it is truly a wonderful event and so nice to stroll around looking at other retailers and eating from the cafe.

I am really looking forward to seeing some of my friends again - or as my husband calls them - 'my market buddies'. You spend 3 days besides these retailers where you get to gabble all day, that by the end you make some wonderful friends, do some personal shopping, and talk business.
I will have some great specials in stock too, as next summer I will be stocking to size 10 so I need to get rid of all my smaller sizes - that means a great bargain!
see you there.......

inspirations.....

It's funny when you start to think of new ideas and how they come to you. Mine can come from just about anywhere some days, and most are from my home -as I like to surround myself with bright colours and bits and pieces. 
I will start to show you little inspirations that I find along the way.  I always find it interesting to see how others work, and what they find sparks a new idea.
I used to work with some of the most talented women and 1 man(!) and I would always be inspired by their creations and how quick they would have to churn out the next design. I do miss watching them work and getting inspired by the next fabric or trim that came into the studio.

These guatemalan worry dolls were one of my first sparks this season. Not that you will see any obvious trend but it is more about a colour or a stitch that makes your mind wander to a totally different level - and there is a new kaftan! Don't ask me how to explain it in more detail, it just does - alright!

I love things in pouches to hide away,  these dolls belong to Lucas so he allowed me to take them out for the shot. He loves to get them out and put them in his toys cars, he hangs them out the windows, then they go back in the bag and hidden away for another day.
So small, but with such beautiful detail. (Reminds me of the pickled people in jars I would make when I was younger)