Masseria: The Italian Farmhouses of Puglia

I have just ordered this book and I think we are going to have another episode of me turning into a crazy mail obsessed person, anxiously awaiting the postman each day!

Simple and spacious rooms, marble floors, stone kitchen fireplaces, groves of olive trees ... ah rustic living you get me every time!

Masseria: The Italian Farmhouses of Puglia

K xx

Penguin Books Australia

A very exciting cookbook is about to be released very soon! Five weeks to be exact! Can't wait to share some of the shots with you that Nikole Furnari captured and I styled! Told you it was exciting! Exciting! More to come soon!

K xx

Market Reminder! Tomorrow!

See you tomorrow!

K xx

Holding On

©Kara Rosenlund

Holding on alright! Thought I would share my new holding page over at the Kara Rosenlund website. Hope we don't have to hold on for a new website for much long though! I'm sure there are lots of people wearing hard hats and neon, measuring and concreting my website and online shop together, I'm sure! I can even hear the wolf whistling! They must be working on it!

Have a good weekend! Hope to see you at the market!!

K xx

P.S Hardhats, neon and wolf whistling, mmm that sounds like a bad rave I once went to! haha!

Market This Saturday!

©Kara Rosenlund

Come to the Travelling Wares Market this Saturday at the Jan Power's Farmers Market!

Hope to see you there! Bright and Sunny is the forecast!

K xx

Shoot Unveiled - Escape to the Coast

©Nikole Furnari

You may remember a couple of weeks ago I jetted off to see photographer and BFF Nikole Furnari for a few days. We collaborated on a lifestyle shoot in her new home town on the Bellarine Peninsula in coastal Victoria, inspired by the raw wild coastal beauty.

I always have a giggle when my carryon luggage is x-rayed at the airport when I'm styling abroad or sourcing. I really must appear like some smuggling gyspy woman, with pots and pans and baking racks and china and bones crammed into my carry on luggage. Clinking and clanking my way on to the plane, attempting to look as effortless as possible (you know you are only allowed a couple of kilos in the cabin!). It is always worth it though - Nikole brings a shoot together like no one else. I love her imagery and the energy she brings to every collaboration we endeavour to do.

Speaking of which there is another collaboration I'll be sharing very soon. It was until yesterday a top secret!

Pop over and have a read of Nikole's blog....

Kxx

A very big thank you to Sophie Rogers, our fantastic multi tasking chef on the day, the fabulous hair and makeup artist Sarah, charismatic models Kate and Tim and the lovely Steph - Nikole's super assistant!

Brusha Brusha Brusha

© Kara Rosenlund

Brushes, I really think they have been left behind in the whole eco household cleaning movement. Sometimes you need to look backwards to move forwards and where else to start than with brushes.

Seriously, I use mine every day for all sorts of purposes and I'm continuously surprised by the strength of the humble bristle; dusting crumbs off the table and the stove top, wedging grim out of unusual spots, scrubbing the bottom of glass bottles, pots and pans.

I pick mine up when ever is see an unusual shape or size, a good place to find them is at your local paint supply shop!

Love home tips!

K xx

Juju!

© Kara Rosenlund

Almost forgot to show you what I received from Timothy O for my birthday!

A Juju Hat.

These spectacular headdresses are traditionally worn by the village chief in the Cameroon region of Africa for special tribal festivities. Rooster feathers are gathered and woven onto a raffia fibre base to display a beautiful oversized circle, which can also be folded up for easy transport - not that mine is going anywhere; I think it looks right at home in the living room!

I absolutely love it!

Thank you Louise at Table Tonic!.... and ofcourse Timothy O.

K xx

Post Holiday Blues

©Kara Rosenlund

Thats right - I have Post Holiday Blues! Actually, I'm not the only one, between you and me Timothy O has them too. We stayed in a little shack high up amongst sand dunes with crashing waves below, cracking fresh crabs for dinner and drinking pina coladas while listening to Cameroon tribal music. Whales and dolphins played off shore in the sea and so did we! I now have 'new season' freckles scattered across my nose, a little memento of the fun had by the sea!

Guess what! There is a market this Saturday at the Powerhouse!

I found lots of new treasured bits while I was away too! Now that is exciting!

Hope to see you Saturday!

K xx

Bonnie Doon!

© Kara Rosenlund

The birthday festivities just keep rolling on here! We are off to Bonnie Doon* (as my friend Sally affectionately calls it) for a few days of fresh beach air and a good dose of sunshine.

A big thank you to all of our lovely friends and customers who braved that crazy wild wind and came by on Saturday to wish me a happy birthday - I felt very special... and a little wind chaffed too. Thank you Noemi for the gorgeous cake!

K xx

** Bonnie Doon is a holiday destination in the 1990's Australia film 'The Castle'.

Reminder!

Come along and say hello... tomorrow at the Powerhouse Markets!

It's my birthday... there could be cake!

K xx

Eat Cake and Be Merry

©Kara Rosenlund

Eat Cake and Be Merry... I sure will be doing that tomorrow... and you should too!

I have found lots of different shapes and sizes of baking tins for you to bake that perfect weekend cake in. I even managed to track down what I consider our 'signature' cake tin - the love heart... in THREE different sizes: small, large and extra large.. now that's a lot of love in one cake!

See you tomorrow!

So excited!

K xx

Market Favourites

©Kara Rosenlund

Here are a few of my favourite pieces that I have sourced recently!

A stunning wide assortment of beautiful old white china; jugs, plates, bowls, side plates and more...

Thick old glass preserving jars and ocean blue bottles - perfect as vases.

Trio of Flying Swallows.

Soft patterned English blue and white plates and bowls.

Old heavy English Pudding bowls.

An unusual vibrant framed pheasant drawing.

Glass pestle and mortar.

So excited about Saturday! More to come tomorrow!

K xx

Taking Stock

©Kara Rosenlund

Ohhh, it's shaping up to be a busy little day today here! Lots of stock to prepare and wrap in twine. I have Anna Calvi up loud and the sunshine is beaming in through all the open windows! Love it! I'll give you a sneak peek later in the day!

K x

Update..20 minutes later *** Just changed the music - Anna was doing my head in a little; now listening to Beirut.

*** Hold on, another 20 minutes later: I also had enough of Beirut (what does this pattern say about me...), so the new Kings of Convenience is on, ahh. Instant calm.

Market This Saturday!

©Kara Rosenlund

Market this Saturday... however its no ordinary Saturday.... It's my BIRTHDAY on Saturday too!

Yep, that's right, I'm turning 30 ...which I am actually really thrilled about!

Come along and say hello... I am going to have some new and exciting stock that has been recently sourced!

Hope to see you there!

K xx

Still Life

©Kara Rosenlund

Still Life, two amazing words put together. Even though my life isn't particularly still, I do try to create some calmness and stillness within our house through the little vignettes I pull together with my favourite found bits.

For me glancing up at a little vignette while I'm dashing about gives me joy and inspiration; even though some days it feels as though everywhere I look is chaos, I have a few little zones of peace.

While I was away shooting with Nikole Furnari I bought this biography on the Australian artist Margaret Olley, 'Far From A Still Life'. I'm so eager to devour this book, I have always adored Olley's work and have been fascinated by her life.

Apparently Margaret Olley knew a thing or two about a still life.

K xx

Spring in my Step

©Kara Rosenlund

Happy Spring! (or autumn to our northern friends!) About to dash out the door! Ill be gone for a few days.... I promise to bring you back something!

Above is one of my favourite lap blankets for travelling... my classic Onkaparinga! Nothing like snuggling up to 100% wool on a chilly flight bound for a rugged coast line!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

K xx