Thursday, December 9, 2010

Nappies, shoots & getaways.

With babies due date fast approaching I've been working overtime to get orders out and organising the house in anticipation of their arrival. Despite being kid people, Hubs and i are often still at a complete lost on what to get and how much of. I mean 5 boxes of newborn diapers is enough right? Considering each box contains 108 diapers... argh! We don't know! 

We've packed and repacked the hospital bags over and over again as it seems first-time-parent nerves have definitely been lurking bout the house. Strangely enough the one thing i'm not nervous about is delivering the babies. Sure like most women i've heard the horror stories that come with the experience such as the mind blowing pain, the accidental pooping & heaven forbid, tearing (yikes!) but i figured the female body was designed for this and as painful as i'm sure it will be, at the end of the day - I'll be okay.

On top of all this I still have bridal orders to fulfill & just last weekend i did my last Olive Farm shoot with my sis before she leaves for overseas. It was a fantastic day & I had an awesome team of people helping. Here are some sneak peaks of the shoot - 




Once Rin has finished editing the pics I'll list them in my store, til then it's back to bridal orders & preparing for a much needed 'sisters only' getaway this weekend to Margaret River. We figured with so much happening, Rin moving, me having babies it was well overdue & i'm super excited to be going. 

Hope you have a super fun filled weekend too =) I promise to take lots of pics!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

{Maternity Shoot Sneak Peak}

As mentioned in my previous post Hubs and I had a maternity shoot with my talented photographer sister Rin, from Rin Nelson Photography. We decided on a beach shoot since it's summer in Perth & as gorgeous as the sky was we didn't count it would be sooooo windy. Still we battled through and managed to get some really great shots with minimum distractions due to the beach being pretty secluded. 

Here's a sneak peak of the shoot =) I'll be doing another one in a few weeks when i go on a road trip to Margaret River with all 3 of my sisters. Did i mention how awesome it is to have a photographer as a sister? hehe

Me with the twins =)
 

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

134 days

Yes can you believe it's been 134 days since my last post? It actually feels longer for me because so much has happened in that time. Just to give you a brief recap, some of the many things that took place are -

1. Hubs and I attended 4 weddings in a span of 6 weeks
2. I played tour guide to many rellies from overseas 
3. I created some lovely pieces for a fashion show which was so. much. FUN! 
4. Unfortunately our family lost a loved one =(
5. My older sis Rin (the photographer) announced that she & her family will be moving to Abu Dhabi in March next year
And the biggest reason for my disappearance.....
6. Hub & I are expecting twin girls early next year! Yes you read correctly =) I'm currently 25 weeks pregnant with twin girls! 


I never thought being pregnant would consume so much of my time but it has, especially because I had AWFUL morning sickness for the first 5 months which left me exhausted and completely wiped out most days. Many times i wanted to blog about the pregnancy but some days it was a struggle just to get out of bed and have a shower, let alone turn on the computer. Thankfully the worst has passed and my energy levels are almost back to what they were before (in fact this arvo i'm doing my maternity shoot with my sis, yay!). 


I'll endeavor to write more in detail about some of the things that happened in the last 134 days & include pics, but for now this is just me letting you know i'm still alive & i haven't forgotten about you =) 


chat soon xoxo

Monday, July 12, 2010

{Baby Love}

I'm supposed to be finishing off pieces for this weekends Made On The Left market but i couldn't resist posting up these pics my sister just sent me of a shoot she did a few weeks ago. It was for a blue eyed, ginger haired 7 month baby girl who was sooo scrumptious and friendly which made her the perfect subject to shoot. I created a piece for her and she wore it proudly, just lovely! I can't wait for future shoots with my sis, a few big projects in the mix which we're still working out the kinks before we reveal them. I know i've said this before but it is soooo awesome having a photographer in the family hehe Check out more of my sis's work at her facebook fanpage.

 

Friday, July 9, 2010

Fallen off the edge of the world

Oh blog, how i've missed thee. 

The last few weeks have been a complete whirlwind for me. Soooo many projects in the works and of course hardly enough time for anything else, especially blogging. Aside from Upmarket (which i promise to write about soon & post pics), I have orders to fulfill, the Made On The Left market which is happening this weekend and not only am I helping out with the production of a fashion show but I'm also creating some pieces for part of the collection. Pheeewww! I've promised to give myself a nice healthy break at the end of all this but til then it's all go, go, go! I hardly see my hubby nowadays =(

I will be back with pics and will go into more details about the exciting things happening at Olive Farm but for now i have to get back to sewing hehe

See you soon *muoah*

Monday, June 21, 2010

Meet the artist - Bec from B.H.O

Fortunately for me Perth has a group of talented crafty women who catch up once in a while to share stories, advice and fill our tummies with yummy food hehe We support each other at markets, help one another whenever we can, it's fantastic!

I hope to feature some of these ladies whom have shown much support and encouragement to other fellow designers, starting with Bec from B.H.O. I sent Bec a few questions to give you an insight on her life as a designer. 


1. What inspired you to create your own business?
This never started out as a business for me. My eldest started kindy and for 6 months I wasn't sure what to do with myself and then I started sewing again after having a long time off. I did my first market in July of 2009 and it was a hit! Out of 20 bags and 10 wallets I created, I came home with 4 bags and 3 wallets, a pocket full of cash and with demands for more. I could not believe it!


2. Describe a typical working day for you?
Get up and have the desperate cup of tea, get my 5 year old off to school, check the mail box and head home to clean and hopefully find some time to either get inspired or create. Pick up Sydney and cook dinner, put the kids to bed around 7.30 and well that's when the madness starts. Sometimes I'll sew til 1am, other times I will give up by 9pm. I keep my lil one, who is about to turn 3, into daycare 2 days a week which are also my sewing/organising days.


3. Where does you inspiration come from?
I have always loved a wide range of fabric, from retro linens to Amy Butlers Designer cottons. I am attracted by the fabrics, clashing colours and functionality. Most of my inspiration comes from "I want something that does this!!", then I make it and hopefully someone else will love it too.


4. What advice can you offer others starting off?
As an avid market seller (I'm not a fan of online selling) I have discovered the hard way that there are good and bad markets. Don't be discouraged if things don't go well. It could be nothing to do with you, the market may not suit you. One of the biggest mistakes I made starting out was I made my prices too cheap!! Do not underestimate yourself and the quality of your products. Handmade items are not longer what your Mother makes, it is unique and uber cool!!

5. Where to you hope to be in 5 years?
I would love to see B.H.O as a business. When both of my children are at school I would certainly love to pursue this as more than a hobby. I would like to see myself in more stores. I am in one over east in Wollongong and I'm certainly aiming for more. 


Reversable and washable bags!


 Hot leather coin purses that can fit both cards and coins! I've got one in turquoise!

Check out Bec's gorgeous handmade bags this weekend at Perth Upmarket, as well as Face Book and her Etsy store.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Recovering from Bali bliss

It's been about a week since Hubs, friends and I came home from 8 lovely days in Bali (yes, Bali again! It's starting to feel like a 2nd home hehe) and body is still on holiday mode. For some reason time completely slowed down when we were over there and now that we're back i know i need to get focused for the busy months ahead but i'm recovering from being toooo relaxed. 

This time around we hired a private villa with our own swimming pool, kitchen and living/dining room. I couldn't believe how massive the place was, there was sooo much space and privacy. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone going over there. Plus the food! arghhh my tummy still grumbles over the delicious food we had. Okies enough talk, here's some photos - 


We stayed at Villa Arjuna in Seminyak right on famous Jalan Laksmana with all the popular restaurants.


Gorgeous Cafe Bali which served yummy food in an oh-so-chic environment. I couldn't believe there was even a little lap pool at the back of the restaurant. Thanks Laura for the recommendation =)


I mentioned we had a lot of delicious meals right? hehe The variety of food in Bali is fantastic. One night we had seafood, then Japanese, then Italian, then local Indonesian, and it kept changing every night!


This might be hard to believe but on one of the nights we went to see Boy George on Kuta beach. Some of us were a bit hesitant about going but the tickets were only $20aud and we knew there were other acts on the night including a fashion show, cabaret, dj's and bands. It was sooo awesome coz he wasn't actually singing but dj'ing! Dancing to cool tunes, barefooted on the beach with friends was one of the highlights of the trip, especially when it lightly started to drizzle rain on us =)


I had such an awesome time and loved i could share my experience with good friends. Hubby and i are eager to go back tho we probably should explore other parts of the world hehe We'll see, so much going on with Olive Farm and life in general but i'll save that for another post *wink*

Friday, May 28, 2010

Olive Farm at June Upmarket!


Come say hello to me and hubby at the June Upmarket at UWA! This time Upmarket is combining with Junior Upmarket making it the biggest event thus so far. There will be so many new retailers and i can't wait! I've been busy keeping up with orders and creating new designs to showcase this June, as well as recreating Olive Farm bestsellers. I've had the idea of making these gorgeous bows for a while now and i just love the end result. I can't wait to see the response! More new designs to come - stay tuned =)

{Not just for little girls}

Monday, May 24, 2010

Project Etsy Wedding - Invitations


Awesome invitations created from etsy store VO Handmade. I think they will do nicely for the Maiko/Steller wedding =)
Etsy store - VO Handmade
Quantity - 50 invites for couples and single guests
Price - $2.90 per invite including envelope
Total cost - $145 USD

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Amore No. 20 - Stamp Sets


Running your own business from home sometimes means you have to find innovative ways to help market your products and rubber stamps have been a God send in the packaging department. I stamp my cards, carry bags, tags.... you name it! It's more affordable than printing and with so many great designs to choose from why wouldn't you? 

Here are some of my favourite stores ~ (from top to bottom)
- Kodomo Petite Musee Tin Stamp Set from J Flair Goods
- Margaret Stamp Set and Japanese Sewing set from Pretty Tape *they also have awesome tapes as the names suggests hehe*
- Angle Stamp Set from Karaku

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

{Feeling the love}

The last few days I've been fortunate enough to appear on a couple of blogs and on the Made It newsletter. I've also been receiving the warmest words of encouragement from clients and fans. It's so lovely to feel supported in what you do and i just hope it keeps on coming =)


I've also been working on some new additions to my store. I've been waiting for really good weather before taking pictures, fingers crossed for tomorrow. I'm trying to fill my store with new goodies before I go on my trip in a few weeks. Hubby is bringing his laptop tho so I'll still be able to stay in touch =)

Images
- Jennifer Garry

Monday, May 17, 2010

{Inspiration} Julie Stegner for Vogue Russia





Gosh these photos just make me feel all kinds of wonderful. Great way to start the week =)

Images from Trendnista

Thursday, May 13, 2010

{Etsy Wedding Challenge}

I was talking to one of my girlfriends yesterday about Etsy and all the amazing things you can find. Haven't really gone on the site before she was doubtful, yet i insisted and even went as far as saying 'you could even plan a whole wedding from etsy alone!' which she replied 'Yeah, whatever!'. So that's the challenge. Can you plan a wedding from etsy? of course minus some details like venue, music, groom hehe 

From now on I'm going to be planning an imaginary wedding as much to my ability, using only items i find on etsy. To make it a little more realistic i'll give myself a brief, budget and time line.  From the many hours already spent browsing i'm confident i can plan one hell of a shindig and prove my friend wrong hehe


Brief - Operation project wedding
Couple - Lilly Maiko and Thomas Steller 
Wedding date -  Saturday 31st July 2010 (it's winter in Perth)
Theme - Quirky, fun and intimate
Colours - Blues/Greens
Wedding Party - 2 bridesmaids/ 2 groomsmen
Guest - 80 people
Budget - $15,000 AUD (remember etsy is in USD so this might be tricky)

I'll also be including some handy DIY from my favourite sites to help others planning their big day.

At the very least i hope to have fun with this project and get to know my fellow etsians.

Wish me luck =)

image By the super talented Elizabeth Messina from KISS THE GROOM

Monday, May 10, 2010

Amore No.19 - Holly Stalder

Although I've been married for a few years now, being in the industry I'm in, I still spend a lot of my spare time researching weddings and anything to do with them. Following the work of other fellow designers, discovering new fabrics and techniques, finding out the latest themes, colours etc If I don't have any orders to fill and my supplies are up I could spend hours going through the collections of other designers 'oooohhhing' and 'aaahhhing' over their gorgeous works. I believe its an important part of running a business, knowing what others are doing and using it as motivation, inspiration and just appreciating the company of people your in. 


I especially have a soft spot for independent designers like Holly Stalder. With her love of vintage fabrics and her organic way of assembling stunning one of a kind pieces for brides my heart just gushes with delight. She is the kind of designer I would love to collaborate with and spend hours gabbing with over tea and scones. Check out her etsy store and I bet you'll fall in love just like I did =)






{images from Holly Stalder}

Saturday, May 8, 2010

{New additons} Not just for the brides!




I recently added some new additions to my etsy store. I've been experimenting with new techniques and working with different fabrics to give you these gorgeous blooms. I wanted to inject more colours in my collections giving customers more variety and to also include bridesmaids and mother-of-the-bride's pieces. I've also been working on some pieces for grooms but I'm having so much fun at the moment I might put that on hold as i've also got a another big photo shoot coming up, not to mention I'll be going on a buying/mini holiday in a few weeks and a participating in another market in June. Argh so much to do! Can't help but thrive on the adrenalin tho haha

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

{Sneak Peak}


Some lovely pieces I've been working on. At the moment my studio is filled with bits of silk, organza, tulle, cotton, chiffon and other lovely fabrics in so many different colours. I love it!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

New pieces in store

Just listed some new pieces in my etsy store & I'm happy with the pics, despite being my own model hehe =) Although I have what you might call 'signature' techniques in my flowers I always try to research different ways to improve my craft. It's such a thrill to discover a new way of doing something and it motivates me to be innovative in my work. Things are just getting bigger and better here at Olive Farm. Very exciting times!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Olive Farm SALE!


Between 24th April - 26th April 2010 i'm taking 20-30% off selected items on my Facebook Fanpage. If you ever wanted to own an original Olive Farm piece this is the sale not to miss!

Friday, April 23, 2010

{Shop Update}


Over the next few days you'll see a few new pieces trickling into my etsy shop. Hopefully the clouds will stay away so i can take more photos =)

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Lack of sleep = lack of posts.


Being a night owl is really taking it's toll on me. I can easily work til 4am and then sleep to just after lunch time to get the full required 8 hours however i know it's not the productive way to do things. Often i miss the necessary sunlight i need to take pictures and cutting my days in half only means i need to rush to the post office and run other errands as soon as i wake up.

So i've been trying this experiment for the last week or so, where i would go to bed (regardless of how tired i am) at the same time as my hubby which is usually around 11.30pm and i would try to fall asleep. Some nights i'm staring at the ceilings for hours, other nights i'm out like a light, usually from a previous night of staring at the ceiling. I don't leave my alarm on and let my body naturally wake up when it's good and ready.

It's taken just over 7 days and i think it's starting to work. I go to bed around midnight, turning off all distractions (like the tv and my comp), and although i still lay there thinking for a while my mind gets tired faster and waking itself at around 9am the next day. I'm hoping to train my body to sleep at 11pm and wake up at 7am so i can have breakfast with Hubby before he goes to work. *crossed fingers*

image from ----> HERE

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Dearest Rain


Tonight i stepped outside for a moment and i felt you nearby. The nights are getting cooler and i'm starting to wear layers to keep warm. Will you be paying us a visit soon? Please do not come back in the same fashion as that nasty storm not too long ago. It was very terrifying and inconvenient with the black out and all. Instead can you please ease us into this winter, slowly and lovingly? I've always preferred you to all the other weather conditions, despite falling sick almost every time you come to visit. I promise to parade around in new winter coats and boots, as well as continue searching for that red umbrella i've vowed to own. I will sip many warm teas and cook as many hearty soups as hubby will allow. I will spend as much time snuggling and prance around the house in the most comfee pj's i can find. I look forward to seeing you and i'll try not to whinge too much when you're finally here.

With love - Liv


image from ---> here

Friday, April 9, 2010

Ohhhhh Zooey!



Argh! i absolutely adore this girl. She's so cool and hip without all that Hollywood flakiness that follows other celebrities. I love all her movies, loves that she's also a singer and just think she's stunning! The perfect model for Olive Farm, don't you think? hehe

Images from Everything In My Head