Blog Feed: A small bite of mondo cherry

I'll admit it...I'm a collector at heart! Groups of similar items displayed together make me happy. So, when I picked up a sweet little vintage silver clutch at a thrift shop, I think I secretly knew that it wouldn't be too long before it was joined

colourful threads....

Published on 2013-06-11 01:02:00

Inspired by the fabulous colours of these embroidery threads, we spent the Monday of our long weekend brianstorming ideas, experimenting and developing a new range of artworks. Such a great way to spend a day, although we did make a fabulous mess!Fin

from A to B, via C, D and E...

Published on 2013-06-06 07:39:00

Usually the time I spend in the car (like most busy Mums) is governed by the clock. I am either rushing to get to school/ballet/sport pick up or I have a very small amount of time in which to complete a long list of errands. So, I mostly travel from

in our window - greens...

Published on 2013-05-28 06:09:00

Artworks, cushions, and lampshades all available in our web shopWe've gone green for our shop window display this week.

I could have settled in...

Published on 2013-05-26 07:45:00

I can't quite believe we've reached the end of the weekend already... I could do with at least another couple of days to

guest blogging at Life InStyle...

Published on 2013-05-24 05:59:00

We're super excited to have been invited to be guest contributors on the

dotty for spots...

Published on 2013-05-20 18:30:00

Sunday styling...

Published on 2013-05-19 00:45:00

A beautiful sunny Sunday gave us the perfect opportunity to style up a few collections outside.A bunch of our colourful cushion designs brought out the pretty colours in our painted linen button artwork.

classic blue and white...

Published on 2013-05-12 06:47:00

Blue and white china and ceramics have always been one of Mum's favourite things to collect and so for a long time I steered away from them in an attempt to find my own decorating style. Over the last few years, however,

Instagram colour...

Published on 2013-05-06 02:22:00

We were fairly late to jump on the Instagram bandwagon, but now we love it! With our phones always on hand, it is a quick and easy way to capture a gorgeous colour scheme, inspiration and new products arriving in store. Please come and share in our c

aglow...

Published on 2013-05-02 01:57:00

I absolutely love the way that the afternoon sun, streaming through the window, lights up these beautiful tea glasses. Their jewel colours positively glow!Love the pretty rainbow on the side of the plate.Clare xx

baby pink...

Published on 2013-04-23 19:52:00

Just finished a custom order for a brand new baby girl - no prizes for guessing her name!! A little bit of soft pink is always pretty, especially as little Lucy has two big brothers.happy heart felt garland - available on our websiteprinted linen but

in miniature...

Published on 2013-04-19 03:20:00

This afternoon I went out into my garden to pick some of the gorgeous roses that grow there, only to find that the gardener (who is included with our rental) had obviously decided that today was a good day to prune the rose bushes.

the result of a paint tester pot...

Published on 2013-04-12 06:55:00

Over the last 14 years or so this cupboard has been valuable storage

vintage botanical collection...3d paper artworks

Published on 2013-04-08 16:30:00

One of our favourite parts about having a shop is product styling. We have such fun shuffling things around, grouping items in a different way, and playing with colour and form.

hello, love, hug...

Published on 2013-03-26 17:41:00

Rows of pretty coloured embroidery threads have inspired our new range of greeting cards. Each one has a hand stitched

using what I have for an Easter display...

Published on 2013-03-25 04:05:00

It seems that I used to have a lot more time to make, bake and decorate for Easter. I'm not sure if you are feeling the same way, but this term seems to have been particularly busy and I can't believe how quickly Easter has crept up. This morning I w

from the lab...

Published on 2013-03-19 01:16:00

We love finding new ways to display items in our shop and are always moving things around and rearranging products. When we stumbled acorss these old laboratory beakers we knew they would be perfect to showcase a stack of our colourful Keep Resin ban

a colourful holiday house with a vintage touch...

Published on 2013-03-12 23:03:00

It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know some of our regular customers since we opened our shop 7 months ago. One lovely lady who pops in to say hello (and who totally brightens up our day with her beautiful smile) is Angie. Angie and I have

Monday fun...

Published on 2013-03-11 00:09:00

New felt

3 balls of wool - my diy headboard...

Published on 2013-03-05 00:39:00

I love a big master bedroom! We are very lucky to have a spacious one in this rental house in Melbourne, but it has been surprising hard to decorate as the walls, high ceiling and built in cupboards are all painted a very yellow-y cream and the floor

the finishing touches...

Published on 2013-02-26 22:30:00

Have you ever bought a new car, only to suddenly see the same make and model driving everywhere when you had never really noticed them before? Or, you find out you are pregnant and then notice that every second person at the shopping centre seems to

pastel prettiness...

Published on 2013-02-21 21:30:00

Pretty duck egg, soft pink, peach and pale green are our inspiration for today. We've just created a new shop window display featuring these colours - photos to follow!

snapshots from Taryn...

Published on 2013-02-21 02:01:00

We love getting photos from our customers showing us how they have displayed their purchases. These beautiful vignettes were sent to us by the lovely Taryn

DIYs with heart shaped post-it notes...

Published on 2013-02-13 01:25:00

Post-it notes come in all shapes and colours nowadays and are readily available at newsagents and Post Offices. These hot pink heart-shaped ones are perfect for a couple of last minute Valentine's Day DIY projects.

snippets of colour...

Published on 2013-02-10 18:15:00

A few colourful corners of our shop today...we love these gorgeous stripy straws, and coloured twine makes any present look specialour chevron cushions with striped pipingcolourful Pooccio dog collars are perfect for the stylish poochhow cute are the

blush crush...

Published on 2013-02-09 21:53:00

I'm introducing a new colour in our new main bedroom. The greys, aquas and whites I had in our old house still look very pretty but the room needs something more

a Valentine's Day window display and diy...

Published on 2013-02-05 05:47:00

We opened our shop again today after taking an extended Christmas break while our kids were on their school holidays. It was great to be back and see lots of familiar faces! We created a new window display around this gorgeous new turquoise chair and

a wine crate display...

Published on 2013-01-29 17:32:00

I love having something pretty on my dining table in between meals so long as it is easy to move out of the way when it is time for a family dinner or when we need space to spread out when being creative. This wine crate filled with various vases fro

a pretty colour combo...

Published on 2013-01-25 19:43:00

We love this pretty combination of colours - feminine pink, toned down by dark-ish neutrals, with a touch of fresh green.Have a happy weekend!

a love-ly garland...

Published on 2013-01-20 23:20:00

With Valentine's Day not too far away we've been busily creating different colourways of our felt heart garlands. These happy little heart decorations measure 1.5 metres - the perfect size to string over a bed, across a window or under a mantelpiece.

moving house...

Published on 2013-01-15 21:43:00

scissor work...

Published on 2013-01-13 03:46:00

We've been cutting up a storm after our holiday and have so enjoyed getting creative again. We eased ourselves back into work by ignoring all the not-so-exciting paperwork and business bits and pieces, instead spending a couple of days chatting aroun

holiday life...

Published on 2013-01-06 17:48:00

We are just checking in after our summer break to say hello and Happy New Year! We've had a wonderful break (partly relaxing and partly frantically busy!) and are now looking forward to enjoying

a summer evening...

Published on 2012-12-23 03:56:00

We spent a perfect sunny afternoon and warm summer evening celebrating the second birthday of our neighbour's daughter, Lucy.

vintage gorgeousness...

Published on 2012-12-18 05:36:00

We sneaked a quick visit to some of our favourite op shops and antique stores yesterday as a treat to

decorating with books for Christmas...

Published on 2012-12-15 01:31:00

Decorating for Christmas doesn't have to be expensive. I love the chance to be a bit creative during the holiday season but, with our new shop and lots of orders, I haven't found the time to sew or make anything new this year. So, I raided my books s

a bright paper bouquet...

Published on 2012-12-10 22:17:00

Even when we are super busy, we try to use part of our Monday to create something new. The pretty colour palette below was the starting point for two new vintage paper bouquet artworks. We wanted these to look like they had just ben picked fresh from

our Christmas window...

Published on 2012-11-29 04:17:00

We had such fun planning for and styling our Christmas window. We wanted it to incorporate our signature mix of white and colour, and old and new, and we thought we would stay away from the traditional Christmas colours and be a little more adventuro

pretty plates...

Published on 2012-11-27 00:04:00

I have been so busy working lately that I just haven't found the time to get to my favourite thrift shops as often as I'd like. However,

guess how much I love you...

Published on 2012-11-25 21:34:00

We have just completed a special custom order felt garland for a 3 year old girl's birthday party which is going to be based on the well loved book "Guess How Much I Love You" by Sam McBratney. The garland consists of hand-stitched bunnies with littl

reflecting...

Published on 2012-11-23 02:14:00

I felt like a fresh look in my dining room earlier this week so decided to use an old mirror for a table runner. It's a great way to reflect light around the room and splatters, spills and finger marks are a breeze to clean up (it certainly beats was

surrounded by colour...

Published on 2012-11-20 15:01:00

We are surrounded by loads of spectacular colour in both our studio and our shop this week and we are loving it! We've been super busy working on Christmas orders (no, it isn't too late to order a custom artwork for Christmas!),

a fashionable party...

Published on 2012-11-17 22:49:00

The new Mathilda's Magazine is out and featured on page 44 is a party I held for my eleven year old daughter earlier this year.

in the window - aqua and yellow...

Published on 2012-11-12 01:46:00

Our window has been looking very summery for the last couple of weeks with an turquoise and yellow theme inspired by the gorgeous Darlington chairs and a trip to the fruit shop. Yellow is such an easy way to freshen up a colour scheme and add a zingy

right next door...

Published on 2012-11-06 21:08:00

We all love a cup of coffee (skinny lattes all round - half strength for Joy and Sue, full strength for Clare) so we absolutely love that our little shop is right next door to the most fantastic family-owned cafe, Cafe Claremont. They make the BEST c

a felt flock...

Published on 2012-10-31 07:36:00

Over the last couple of days it has finally dawned on me just how close we are getting to the end of the year and therefore to Christmas! Feeling slightly panicked I have started making a flock of felt bird decorations for our shop and am loving the

cake and cubbies...

Published on 2012-10-28 05:42:00

We've been super busy this weekend celebrating a trio of birthdays (one each day for the last three days) which involved eating lots and laughing more! The gorgeous weather today was perfect for lots of outdoor play and our children (generally!) love hanging out with each other. The trampoline is always popular with the bigger kids and the little ones love 'playing house' in the cubby.With all 8 kids happy and occupied, and both husbands busily pottering around, we were free to dream up some new [..]

white on white...

Published on 2012-10-24 15:30:00

For the last few weeks we have been working on a custom order for one of our white 3d paper blossom artworks. Measuring in at a large 125cm x 75cm, this piece showcases the simplicity and purity of white on white. We love the play of the shadows on the folded hearts as the light changes, although these same shadows make it a very difficult artwork to create as they play tricks on our eyes, creating gaps, filling other ones, and confusing us completely!There are hundreds upon hundreds of differen [..]

a springtime bottle...

Published on 2012-10-22 01:03:00

We don't open our shop on a Monday so that we have one free weekday to catch up on errands and spend time together creating new pieces. Today we have been flat out working on a big order, but we took a break at lunchtime to 'play' with some pretty velum flowers that Joy has had in her stash for a while. They looked very delicate and spring-like wrapped around an old bottle - a perfect little "Thinking of you" token for a friend whose day could do with some brightening.

a boy and a girl...

Published on 2012-10-17 17:46:00

With my background in early childhood teaching, I have always been very conscious of not stereotyping boys and girls. When my son was born I gave him a 'home corner' with play food and a tea set, a doll, and plenty of dress ups, as well as cars, trains and constructions toys Once my daughter joined our family, I encouraged her to play with Lego, run around with a ball and get dirty, and build train tracks. However, I have somehow managed to end up with a very 'grily' girl and and typical 'boyish [..]

gorgeous in glass...

Published on 2012-10-09 20:00:00

We are loving these gorgeous Mrs Darcy candles in the shop today. They smell divine (our favourite is 'Raining Peonies') and would make a great gift. We've been thinking of lots of ways to re-use the pretty glass jar once the candle is finished too - for cotton buds in the bathroom, rings or broches in the bedroom, paper clips on the desk... what would you use it for?

cookie creations...

Published on 2012-10-08 23:57:00

We are up to our eyeballs in cookies here - both the real and pretend kind.

a perfect rose...

Published on 2012-10-08 02:17:00

How gorgeous is this rose that has been blooming near my front door? It is absolutely massive! I haven't been able to bring myself to pick it as it is such a pretty sight when I come in and out. I can't resist stopping to smell it each time I walk past too as it has a very lovely fragrance. Perfection.

creative love...

Published on 2012-10-04 22:52:00

We love a good wedding! Especially when it totally reflects the personalities of the couple getting married. A few weeks ago our gorgeous friends Aaron and Jules got married at Mt Tambourine, in the Gold Coast hinterland. This very creative couple love vintage style and their outdoor ceremony and reception had lots of special touches. They not only made the invitations, programs and signs, arranged the flowers and did the table settings - they even made the tables! Aaron sourced a dozen or so ol [..]

window dressing...

Published on 2012-09-25 17:06:00

Inspired by the arrival of a chair we have had upholstered in gorgeous Irish linen with raspberry velvet buttons and trim, we decided to change up our window display - one of our very favourite things to do! We designed a special floating blossom artwork in gorgeous berry colours to compliment the chair, and

a perfect match...

Published on 2012-09-24 04:25:00

Having fresh flowers in the house always makes me feel happy, but this bunch of ranuculars are extra gorgeous and I have found myself detouring through our family room just to catch a glimpse of them! The spectacular mix of pink, orange, peach and yellow are exactly the same colours in the 3 watercolours that my big girls painted for me to display on an empty mantlepiece. They match perfectly!

a jar of hearts...

Published on 2012-09-17 06:20:00

A jar full of hearts is sitting on my work desk today waiting to be made into some colourful little garlands for our shop.

a pretty birthday tea...

Published on 2012-09-16 05:23:00

Our gorgeous friend Polly (a fellow Mum from Kindy) has a real gift for making friends feel special. Last week she popped into our shop with some of her very scrummy cordial as a little pressie to say congrats on our new venture (yum!) and when we saw the photos of the afternoon tea she hosted for a friend's birthday, we just knew we had to share them with you. Polly didn't spend a lot of money but instead made the birthday tea ever so memorable with pretty styling, hand-made touches and lots of [..]

this week at the shop...

Published on 2012-09-13 00:00:00

...we are loving...a big pop of pink with this gorgeous velvet chairMoroccan tea lights in jewel-bright colourssculptural vases and containersranunculars, roses and anemonespretty tins in a soft aquavintage fabric hair bowsHope you are having a fantastic week.

pleased with my find...

Published on 2012-09-10 07:06:00

I found time over the weekend to visit a couple of op shops (thrift shops) which is something I love to do. I get such a thrill when I find something a bit different or special that just needs a bit of TLC. As soon as I saw this old dolly pram I just knew it was coming home with me.

fabric samples...

Published on 2012-09-02 20:00:00

It is always exciting to receive some of our new fabric samples fresh from the printers. These pretty pinks, watermelon red, seaglass shades and sunny yellow patterns will soon be a part of our expanded range of cushions and lampshades, all of which we have designed to compliment our artworks. We will let you know as soon as they arrive in our shop and online store!

the magic of magnolias...

Published on 2012-09-02 00:42:00

Hooray, it's Spring - my very favourite season. This is the first Spring we have spent in this house in Melbourne and so I am enjoying seeing the garden come to life. Someone really loved this garden at some point planting lots of bulbs as

in the emerald city...

Published on 2012-08-27 07:02:00

Did you spot our artwork in the latest issue of Home Beautiful magazine? Our "3d blossom heart" has found a spot with a collection of emerald items which prove that it is easy being

for a little present..

Published on 2012-08-22 02:30:00

I loved an idea

today...

Published on 2012-08-18 04:43:00

We had a lovely time pottering around our shop today finding places for new stock, adding a few mondocherry touches and chatting with our fabulous customers.

procrastinating...

Published on 2012-08-16 18:00:00

What do you do when you have a million and one things on your to-do list? Why you paint rocks of course! A least that is what I have been doing to avoid my much neglected ironing pile, the pile of school and kindy papers that

we are open tomorrow...

Published on 2012-08-13 02:14:00

We are very pleased to announce that our new shop is opening.... tomorrow!

a curtain of flowers...

Published on 2012-08-09 04:02:00

We've been finalising the window display for our shop (eeek!) and spent a couple of hours this afternoon making a curtain of flowers. We used silk hydrangea flowers, cut off the individual flower heads and then used invisible thread to suspend them in graduated colours. They certainly brought a bit of pretty colour to a very miserable rainy day.

an exciting announcement...

Published on 2012-08-05 23:32:00

cabbages and tea...

Published on 2012-08-01 19:20:00

The other day I was walking past a garden centre and couldn't reisist buying myself an ornamental kale plant. I don't really know why I am drawn to this plant as much as I am - maybe it is the beautiful varigated colour or the way the leaves are all crinkly around the edges. Whatever it is, I just love it!Once I got it home it reminded me to get out an old tea set from the back of the cupbaord that hasn't been used for ages. I love the shape of this cabbage-y tea set, especially the milk jug and [..]

a little keepsake...

Published on 2012-07-24 23:22:00

Without a doubt the highlight of my 4 year old daughter's week is her ballet class.

Kelly's house tour - a home with heart

Published on 2012-07-22 20:15:00

On Friday morning I was invited around to my friend Kelly's house for morning tea. I just had to pop in my camera so I could share with you a few photos from her gorgeous home.

gorgeous greens and beautiful blues...

Published on 2012-07-18 22:03:00

Blue and green are such popular decorating colours and it is easy to see why - they are relaxing to live with, easy to decorate with, and and there is a shade to suit just about everyone. Sue has always been a chine blue fan, Joy adores the aqua and turquoise shades, and Clare is currently loving fresh apple green. Do you have a favourite shade of blue or green?Our petal cushions in blue, green and sea glass.Joy's collection of aqua and turquoise ceramics.Our vintage butterflies in duck egg, gre [..]

making changes...

Published on 2012-07-16 00:02:00

That old saying 'a change is as good as a holiday' has a bit of truth in it. While I would have preferred lying by the beach on a tropical island or exploring the lane ways of Paris, I have still really enjoyed rearranging all the furniture in my guest room around! I started off by moving the bed under the window which makes it more of a focal point.

it's the little things...

Published on 2012-07-10 22:09:00

a colourful week...

Published on 2012-07-08 23:18:00

from sketch to screen...

Published on 2012-07-05 02:22:00

We've had a super busy day creating new designs for our fabric range. We generally start off sketching out ideas on paper, before drawing them onto a computer tablet. Then the fun begins! We throw in all sorts of colours to get a feel for what the fabrics might look like and edit the designs multiple times to perfect the flow and fix all the little imperfections. We then fiddle around with repeats (not our favourite part!) and work out the sizing before sending it off to have samples printed.Her [..]

berry good...

Published on 2012-06-30 20:40:00

These gorgeous red berries make a nice change from flowers and are adding a bit of winter colour to my mondocherry studio room on this grey Melbourne day. I've got lots of paperwork and emails to do this afternoon so need something pretty nearby to keep me motivated! What's on your desk today?

new chair = inspiration...

Published on 2012-06-28 00:54:00

Yesterday Clare and I had a couple of hours to spare after kindergarten drop-off.

sprung...

Published on 2012-06-27 07:30:00

Suspicious that my youngest daughter was entertaining herself particularly quietly, I went looking round the house and found her sitting on bed checking out the games on my phone. She obviously thought that if she covered her head I wouldn't be able to see her. Cheeky!

brown paper wrapping...

Published on 2012-06-25 07:19:00

Our old favourite, brown paper wrapping, is the perefct base for some fresh green and white. A strip of baking paper, pleated a few times and then wrapped around the gift, makes a great place to pop in a giftcard or little note, a sprig of flowers or a couple of pretty shaped leaves. So quick and easy to do yet it makes the gift presentation so much more special.

meet the newest members of the family...

Published on 2012-06-20 22:18:00

Introducing Rascal and Dusty, the newest members of our family. They came to us from the Kindy that my daughter Jemima goes to, where the kids had been watching them grow from just a few days old. When it was time for the mummy rabbit and her 6 babies to go back to the farm, we made a very last minute decision to take a couple home with us. My children actually wanted all six (one for each child) but that was just going to be too many to fit into my already chaotic household! The bunnies are now [..]

a dash of yellow...

Published on 2012-06-19 20:47:00

We have said it before but we'll say it again - a little pop of yellow here and there really brings a bit of life into a room. In small doses, and used as an accent, this colour really makes us happy.

market wrap up...

Published on 2012-06-18 06:57:00

We had a great day at the Boutique Markets in Melbourne yesterday and is was lovely to meet some of you! Each time we do a market we try to display a different collection and yesterday we focused on soft, pretty gelato colours.3 new cushion colours in linen, duck egg and pink. They look so pretty on a white or linen coloured sofa.A gelato version of our 3d vintage bouquet artworks. All handcut from the amazing colours we find in the old children's books we rescue.Our little LOVE button artworks [..]

gorgeous resin bangles...

Published on 2012-06-15 01:26:00

We are loving these resin bangles we bought from Keep Resin

it's such a pretty colour scheme...

Published on 2012-06-12 07:04:00

We've been inspired by beautiful soft 'gelato' colours recently and so have been busy creating a collection around that theme to take to the Boutique Markets this Sunday 17th June at Malvern Town Hall, Melbourne.Here's a delicate 3d vintage bouquet artwork heading towards completion. We decided to leave it until tomorrow to finish as we often find that fresh eyes on a new day quickly pick up on which colours need balancing and which gaps need what. As we were working on this piece we were chatti [..]

a corner of spring on a wintery day...

Published on 2012-06-08 00:29:00

It is a cold and overcast day here in Melbourne but I don't mind as we are keeping warm and cozy in our heated house.

if you go down to the woods today...

Published on 2012-06-07 07:26:00

A little while ago we had a Teddy Bear's Picnic Party for my 2 year old, Tilly which was loads of fun and very easy to prepare for. We held it in a park nearby (no woods around here unfortunately!) and kept things simple to suit the age group.

a very early spring clean...

Published on 2012-06-03 22:51:00

Ok, so we have barely launched into winter here, but I am in the mood for some cleaning, clearing, de-cluttering and re- arranging.

today I have...

Published on 2012-06-02 02:33:00

enjoyed the last of the autumn leaves...cheered on my son's footy team...searched for the perfect yellow...picked some roses from the garden...found some cute jars in a $2 shop...experimented with wool...

paper dolls from Mr Printables...

Published on 2012-05-29 01:35:00

While catching up on some favourite blogs last night,

my dream vs. reality...

Published on 2012-05-27 23:56:00

A hallway or entrance room should be welcoming and tidy, giving you a taste of the rest of the house and the personality of the inhabitants while remaining uncluttered and serene...hmmmmm....not always the case in my house! The rental home we are living has a fantastically large entrance and while there are some things I would change if it were mine (lighting and floors come to mind, although the ugly grey vinyl is very practical!) it is still a great space. However, although it is the main entr [..]

weekend...

Published on 2012-05-25 02:26:00

It has been a cold and rainy day here in Melbourne, with more rain forecast for the weekend. Perfect weather for curling up in bed with a cuppa and a good book. However, we've got lots of work to do so there will be no napping for us... luckily we'll be creating with some bright and cheery colours which will distract us from the dreary weather!Hope your weekend is wonderful :) If you live in Sydney, be sure to pop into the city's biggest community artshow, ViEW Exhibits, at St Ignatius College t [..]

a surprising use for stylish socks...

Published on 2012-05-23 05:42:00

You know you are just a little crazy when you spend an afternoon cutting up brand new socks, which is what we did today! There was method behind our madness though.... You see, we have been big fans of the knitted cups, vases and beakers that have been around the design scene for a while now, but since we can't knit to save our lives we thought we would try a cheats version using socks. It couldn't be easier to simply

fabulous felt...

Published on 2012-05-20 06:19:00

I popped over the road on Friday to visit a lovely friend who has recently had a baby girl. It was so wonderful to have a cuddle of a newborn again - I just love it when babies are so 'freshly cooked' that they are all sniffly and snuffly and nestle into your neck! I thought I would take over a gift for adorable Madeline who is finding out just what it is like to be a new big sister, and so I took a box of some felt food for tea parties, shops or cooking play. I find hand stitching these little [..]

colour makes us happy...

Published on 2012-05-17 02:24:00

We have had such a productive working day in our studio room creating an extra large artwork for our bouquet range. Made from recycled vintage children's books, this piece has been such a pleasure to work with because of the beautiful colours involved. Yellow certainly makes us happy!Some last minute tweaking before framing!

a colourful trip of a lifetime...

Published on 2012-05-16 03:21:00

A few weeks ago we went trekking in Nepal.

with much love...

Published on 2012-05-12 17:00:00

A very Happy Mother's Day to our amazing Mum and wonderful Mother-in-laws. We are so very blessed to have you in our lives, and wish we could be there to give you a big hug and tell you how thankful we are for all you have done for us and how much we love you.Wishing all you Mums a very happy day - we hope you get spoilt rotten!

framing my children's art...

Published on 2012-05-11 21:50:00

I love having my children's art on display and so have recently framed up four special pieces to hang in the playroom. The beautiful colours tie in perfectly with my collection of old Enid Blytons and the bits and pieces from the 'home corner', and they are making me smile every time I walk past. Children's drawings are just so precious and the things they love to draw changes so quickly - it might be super long hair for a few weeks, then massive eyelashes to rival any diva, or hands with big ba [..]

Harvey's Lego party...

Published on 2012-05-09 22:47:00

red and pink is pretty we think...

Published on 2012-05-06 22:12:00

We know that red and pink together are not everyone's cup of tea, but we adore this combination, especially when freshened up with white. The addition of a bit of red seems to toughen up the very girly pink, while the pretty pink softens the very bold red. Obviously this combo is best in smallish doses but when used correctly it is totally stunning.One of our latest artworks inspired by our love for this colour combination.

a busy weekend...

Published on 2012-05-04 02:11:00

Hooray, it's Friday! We have a super busy weekend planned including holding a Lego party for Joy's son, Harvey.

keeping it on show...

Published on 2012-05-02 04:29:00

I love the idea of having everything tucked away in cupboards but know that I am the sort of person who only remembers to use things if they are in sight. I only ever take my multivitamins when I leave them next to the coffee machine, I forget to use my pretty platters if they are hidden away at the time I am frantically plating up dinner, and I only remember to spray on my perfume if it is on my dresser. This need to have things on show in order to use them is especially true of necklaces. When [..]

diy 'dipped' vases...

Published on 2012-04-27 20:19:00

I am loving the dipped look that is being seen in furniture and other homewares at the moment and thought I would give it a go with some plain white vases and scratched bowls that I had lying around.

Niki's house tour - part 2...

Published on 2012-04-26 07:13:00

Time to show you some more from inside Niki's house - this time daughter Kayla's delightful and very personal bedroom. Nothing is too precious to be touched, used or played with, and everything has a wonderful story to tell.Niki found the dollshouse on the side of the road and she and her daughter have had fun decorating it together.Pretty cushions in favourite fabrics make for a comfortable bed.Love the quilt Niki sewed using Liberty of London fabrics combined with vintage linens.Niki's old Cab [..]

mondocherry in vogue living...

Published on 2012-04-23 22:49:00

The photo above is a page from this month's Vogue Living - the two gorgeous girls are Michelle and Jacqui from Frankie and Swiss, the boutique textile company we use for our fabric designs.

ta-da!

Published on 2012-04-18 10:45:00

We are thrilled to announce that we have (finally!) launched our new website with some fresh new products and a brand new look. Our first collection (hedgerow collection) contains our very latest 3d vintage bouquet artwork as well as some co-ordinating favourites such as our Liberty of London button artworks and a 3d blossom heart artwork. All our designs are unified by their fresh white framing enabling them to stand alone or work together. We will be changing our collections regularly so don' [..]

IKEA hack - children's play shop

Published on 2012-04-15 22:35:00

Our old Ikea change table has been gathering dust in our shed since my kids grew out of nappies and I have had the idea for quite some time of turning it into a play shop/ marketstall. On Sunday afternoon we finally got around to completing this little project which only took a couple of hours to create. My husband sawed off the legs of the changetable to ensure it was a suitable height and then whipped up a little frame for the canopy I had sewn. My two children were super excited and quickly [..]

Ruby Olive...

Published on 2012-04-12 06:05:00

There is nothing like a new piece of jewellery to brighten up an outfit that you have worn to death, and we love Skye Anderton's pieces for her label Ruby Olive. Inspired by a love of colour and texture, and by the beauty found outside her window (sounds just like us at mondocherry!), the Ruby Olive collections are named after fabulous destinations around the world. There's the riviera collection full of striking black, white and red pieces, the sicilian seaside collection with milk whites, blue [..]

our Easter...

Published on 2012-04-08 05:57:00

We've had such a lovely Easter day - early morning egg hunt with the kids, off to Church, and then a long lunch with the family (although we missed you Mum and Dad) with plenty of delicious salads to offset all that chocolate!Clare's kids helped set the table using Easter decorations as napkin holders and Scrabble letters for place tags...There are lots of A names in our family - luckily we have lots of extra Scrabble letters! What initial pops up the most in your family?Feather wreaths Clare ma [..]

Niki's house tour (part 1) - a home to inpsire...

Published on 2012-04-03 20:01:00

Just recently I have met a wonderfully creative lady, Niki, who has a real flair for styling and decorating. What makes Niki's home extra special is that everything has a story: cherished items passed down from family, gorgeous handmade clothes, toys and artwork made by Niki, keepsakes from her travels, and furniture she has rescued from the roadside and added her special touch to. But don't think for a moment that it is like an old dusty museum or junk shop - far from it! Niki's home is fresh a [..]

vintage crate shelving...

Published on 2012-04-02 01:53:00

A few weeks ago I made an impulse purchase on Ebay - 50 vintage fruit crates! I had been searching for something to fill the very large cream wall at the back of the living room. This wall would be the perfect spot to build in gorgeous cabinetry and bookshelves, but beacuse we are renting this just isn't an option. Instead I have stacked up my purchased crates in a fairly random pattern and although they are sometimes a little wonky they add a lot of character and a whole lot of storage. Unpacki [..]

hungry caterpillar party...

Published on 2012-03-28 22:48:00

Finally getting round to showing you some photos of the Hungry Caterpillar party (based on the well loved book by Eric Carle) that was featured in Mathilda's Magazine. We had heaps of fun creating all the decorations, food and take home baskets - it was so colourful and bright - perfect for a 4 year-old's birthday party. Place settings consisted of a painted cardboard leaf, a white paper plate with petals cut out and a red plastic plate for the food... The happy sun was cut from cardstock pai [..]

10 green bottles...

Published on 2012-03-28 01:45:00

Well, actually only 5 green bottles so far... but I am loving my little collection, picked up at the Camberwell Markets,and dating back to 1890. They are all quite small - the littlest is only a couple of centimeters high - but they are just the perfect size for a few blossoming sprigs picked from the garden.

hessian and flowers in Richmond...

Published on 2012-03-26 01:00:00

On the weekend, we finally managed to get over to Richmond for a spot of shopping along Bridge Rd, a lazy brunch (or as lazy as brunch can be with two kids in tow!) and a trip over to the old Channel Nine television studios where a series of pop-up events and installations has been running for the month of March, all with a seriously funky design vibe. Commissioned by Lend Lease, (the firm in charge of redeveloping the site into apartments and townhouses while retaining the heritage feel), The R [..]

confetti present wrapping...

Published on 2012-03-23 05:01:00

Sometimes it is nice to do something different when wrapping a present and confetti is an easy and colourful way to jazz up a gift. We simply made our own coloured dots using a hole punch and some scrap paper and card (a great job for the kids!) and stuck them on using double sided tape (best for the stripes) and glue (for the heart). The confetti does have a tendency to stick up at funny angles, so you have to tap it down well and fill the odd hole. It is also a good idea to go over the dots wi [..]

all sewn up...

Published on 2012-03-19 18:54:00

I have been totally inspired by this gorgeous book called "all sewn up" by Chloe Owens that I stumbled across in a book shop recently. Chloe is an incredibly talented textile artist who has a wonderful way with fabric, applique and embroidery. I particularly love her designs which have been "drawn" upon using delicate machine stitching and black thread. Chloe says in her book "This way of working came much more naturally to me than using pencils and paints". There are 35 exquisite projects in [..]

a colourful market...

Published on 2012-03-16 23:50:00

Off to the Boutique Markets at Malvern Town Hall, Melbourne tomorrow with lots of our most colourful artworks, cushions and paper goods. The doors are open from 9am to 1pm so there is plenty of time to browse through all the stalls selling a wonderful assortment of clothing, accessories, home wares and toys - all unique, stylish and not available on the high street. Come and say hello and receive a little gift from us!

a tidy desk...

Published on 2012-03-14 05:29:00

I have been working at home today (on a red blossom heart order) as Clare has not been feeling well. We usually work around at Clare's house as she has a studio room and a lot more space, however I keep some mondocherry supplies here at my place so I can work some evenings when the kids are in bed.I find it pretty hard to keep this little area tidy and my desk is usually covered in fabric samples and lots of paper snippings. Today I did a little tidying up and it feels great! I am always so much [..]

new bedside tables...

Published on 2012-03-13 06:08:00

After years of frustration with my very small bedside tables, and months of looking for new ones, I finally purchased two chests of drawers to go either side of my bed. I'm really enjoying the extra space for display as well as all that extra storage room. My birthday lamps look more in proportion too. Perfect!

an old lace dress..

Published on 2012-03-08 16:43:00

Before I moved down to Melbourne from Brisbane, my wonderful friend Chris and I took a morning to browse the shops along Latrobe Tce, Paddington. We saw lots of lovely items but I was quite content to look and not buy until we popped into the Paddington Antique Centre which had three beautiful lace dresses hanging on an old armoire in the foyer. One, in particular, caught my eye, and I wanted it badly! The lace was just so fine and the details was exquisite. I knew it was most definitely a 'wan [..]

currently working on...

Published on 2012-03-04 08:40:00

...and we are loving it! Hope you are having a fabulous day too.

our vintage map artwork in Rowan's room...

Published on 2012-02-29 18:19:00

It is always lovely to see where our products end up and so we were thrilled to see photos of one of our "Round the World" map artworks (created from an original vintage atlas) in 1 year-old Rowan's special room at his Nan Roberta's house. Roberta (from the gorgeous vintage-inspired children's wear label Rowantree designs) told us that our map artwork was the first thing she bought for Rowan's room way back before he was born! The inspiration she had was for Rowan to grow in a world that is vas [..]

raining and pouring...

Published on 2012-02-27 03:32:00

Melbourne had a very grey and wet day - a bit of a shock after the very hot temperatures of the weekend. My rain mobiles seemed particularly appropriate hanging in the window! Luckily, there is always plenty of colour inside my house to brighten up even the greyest of days. Doing the school drop off in pouring rain did remind me that I need to start my search for a pretty pair of rain boots though...seen any gorgeous ones on your travels?

mondocherry vintage postcards...

Published on 2012-02-22 03:00:00

Piles of our stitched vintage postcards ready for market on Sunday. Each gorgeous picture rescued from a damaged vintage book and therefore totally unique. Make someone's day by sending one in the post or peg up on a pinboard or pop in a frame...

framing day...

Published on 2012-02-20 04:40:00

We have been very busy today, framing up some work - a special gift, a few orders and also a number of new artworks to take to the Mathilda's Markets, Melbourne, this Sunday morning. We get a real buzz from seeing a finished artwork in a smart new frame, although polishing all that glass is not high up on our list of favourite jobs!We made this pretty gentle-coloured butterfly artwork, created from a 1960's botanical book, for Joy's lovely Mother-in-law, who is a very keen gardener...Our button [..]

Better Homes and Gardens giveaway...

Published on 2012-02-19 04:42:00

Better Homes and Gardens magazine is an Australian favourite full of delicious recipes, fabulous diy's, craft and decorating advice, invaluable gardening tips, and loads more. But did you know that Better Homes and Gardens LIVE wil be launching in Melbourne this coming weekend, 24th-26th February? Held at the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton, this 3 day event will host 4 stages, with live demonstrations from all our favourite Better Homes and Gardens TV experts (think Grahma Ross, Tara Dennis, [..]

our Very Hungry Caterpillar party in Mathilda's Magazine...

Published on 2012-02-16 16:39:00

Pop on over to the latest issue of the Mathilda's Magazine (hot off the press!) to see a feature on the Very Hungry Caterpillar party we threw for Joy's daughter, Sienna. We had such a ball planning, painting and running this very colourful party and are thrilled to have it included. We will post few of the diy's over the next week to go along with the free printables included in the magazine.This autumn issue of this fab online magazine is choc-a-bloc full of Easter ideas, recipes all the famil [..]

still a little love...

Published on 2012-02-14 00:42:00

It is not going to be the most romantic Valentine's Day in our homes this year - Sue's husband is overseas, Joy's husband is working late, and Clare's husband is off to a parent/teacher information night. Still, we never knock back a good excuse to decorate a table or a corner of our homes, even if it will be take-away for dinner!We love hanging decorations in large vases...Joy's Bungalow napkins are in use again, showing there versatility after starring at Christmas...A collection of hearts... [..]

simple silver Sunday...

Published on 2012-02-12 04:32:00

I love being surrounded by colour in my home and in my work, but today I have been enjoying the simplicity of this little corner of my living room. The gorgeous silvery-green gum leaves ($5 a bunch from the supermarket) look right at home in my silver embossed jug, don't you think?

heart in a box...

Published on 2012-02-08 19:48:00

A little idea for Valentine's Day - after all, it is the thought that counts!

a little quieter...

Published on 2012-02-07 08:34:00

Our kids are back to school, and after the usual chaos of making lunchboxes, finding lost socks, getting enough breakfast into little tummies, and getting out the door on time, our homes seem very, very quiet. It has been particularly busy this year as Clare's 4 eldest children have all started new schools (because of her move down to Melbourne) and Joy's son is now a big Preppie wearing a uniform for the first time. We are ever so grateful for lovely welcoming teachers who make the transition s [..]

new 3d paper blooms...

Published on 2012-02-03 01:06:00

Inspired by beautiful flowers and the vintage books that we love, we would like to introduce you to our new range of 3d paper artworks. Created from original illustrations found in our collection of damaged children's books from the '50's, '60's and '70's, we have hand cut petals to form these very textural blooms. Each one of the artworks in this series will be complete unique as not only are the vintage papers all one-offs, but the blooms take on a life of their own as we do not use templates [..]

loving my conservatory...

Published on 2012-01-30 04:45:00

One of the main reasons we chose our new rental home here in Melbourne was for the fabulous outside space, particularly the slightly run-down but still very usable, tennis court. The kids have been loving hitting balls over the net, playing games of cricket and chase-y, riding their bikes and scooters around and generally getting lots of exercise. The area works particularly well because of the conservatory that was built as a later addition to the house to link the inside living areas with th [..]

yum...

Published on 2012-01-28 03:30:00

Loving an easy weekend meal of homemade pizzas on Lebanese bread, washed down with a glass of red wine.Mmmm! Hope you are having a wonderfully relaxing weekend too.

diy silhouette with a twist...

Published on 2012-01-24 23:18:00

It is lovely to have photos of family around the house, but if you are looking for something a little more arty, then these diy silhouette pictures might just fill the gap. They are quick, easy and very satisfying to make. The traditional silhouette is of course black on white, but we were after something a little more colourful to suit a child's bedroom.The first step is to take a profile photo of the subject. Print it out and carefully cut around with scissors. Trace around the cut-out with a [..]

typo...

Published on 2012-01-23 15:41:00

I found myself at a Typo shop the other day - a wonderful, well priced place to browse for a stationery lover like me. Here is my little haul for the outing, I particularly love the cotton reel pen holder and patterned cotton tape.If you don't have a Typo store near you they sell online too!

Online Marketing

Blog Feed: A small bite of mondo cherry

Home > Blog Directory > Newest Posts > Blog Feed: A small bite of mondo cherry