Stamp Collections

Growing up I loved my stamp collection. Hours on end archiving these little pieces of art from all over the world, stamped with inky text bound for its destination.

I think I got my love of stamp collecting from my father; he had a large file drawer in his desk dedicated to stamps, nothing fancy or ordered, just a drawer full of tiny pieces of colourful paper. I would often open the drawer and run my fingers through the mass of torn edges... digging down deep to retrieve a special one... just like a luck dip!

I still use my stamp collection when I need reference and inspiration for fonts and layouts, they really are quite exceptional once you take the time to appreciate them.

K xx

Im off to Bikram Yoga today...

Cover Me

Being s visual person I am highly prone to being a touch impractical; I choose a book by its cover, I choose wine by the label, I choose spices by the packaging (we have way to0 many tins of smoked paprika in the pantry)..... I find details to be extremely important.

One thing I love to do is to decorate and rearrange spaces using the covers of books. Even though I appreciate the graphic fonts and repetition of the spines of books in shelves, I love book covers.... especially old ones. A bundle of inexpensive books on an armchair or a randomly placed book on a side table gives a space a hint of activity and purpose.

Gotta dash!

Talk to you tomorrow!

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

Nigella

© Kara Rosenlund

I know, I know, it's market week and you guys want to see my new stock; have a bit of a '*heads-up' as to what will be on the trestle tables on Saturday.... I know, I know...it's coming, I promise.

Though before we get there I want to share with you something special! Nigella! - our latest addition to our Pekin Bantam flock.

She arrived on Sunday and our outgoing feathered girls (Bettina, Gigi and Coco) have been readjusting to the new shy girl on the block!

Timothy O and myself have been eagerly looking on, looking for signs of friendship, signs of love... mmm, I can see potential, however lets just say its called a 'pecking order' for a reason and Nigella is clearly at the bottom. It's early days.

Nigella was brought to us by the lovely Tilly from 'Girls for the Garden'. If you are thinking about introducing some feathered girls to your garden, then I would strongly recommend Tilly. She is the 'go to' woman in chicken circles. You can find her at the Jan Power's Farmers Markets - or you can email me.

K xxx

Sea Shells by the Sea Shore

©Kara Rosenlund

Yesterday was a public holiday here in Brisbane and to be honest it is taking me a little while to get back up to speed (hence my late post!). Anyway, I spent the day with Timothy O at a near by beach (aka mudflat, it is Brisbane after all) collecting sea shells while he rode his new bike around.

I wasn't always into collecting sea shells, I was obsessed when I was younger, then as I got older I thought it was a bit over done and really not my style. Then a few years ago I went a bit sea shell mad. Along my journeys I would be smuggling shells and coral from all over the world.... and naturally also getting them confiscated at airports all over the world too... you win some you lose some.

I think the key to collecting sea shells or really any collection is having the right vessel to house or display them in. I keep my sea shells and coral and bones in an an old marble mortar and another collection in a large disused sieve.

I love a good collection; a little peep hole into someone's intricacies.

K xx

Market Reminder!

Hope to see you tomorrow!

I have spent the day preparing and pricing stock and I must say that I really think I have out done myself this time - I can measure this by how much I actually want to keep and NOT sell! Hahaha!

Just finished packing the ute, plus the inside of Frankie and had to make an SOS call to my wonderful parents and ask them to take some stock into the market in their ute too for tomorrow! Thank you Mum and Dad! I love you!

Available will be a fantastic and an 'en masse' array of flatware, french tumblers, pickling jars (perfect proportions for vases), glass cake stands, a huge collection of baking tins in various shapes and sizes and really so much more. You simply just must come! So much beautiful stock to share!

I'm so excited! Delirious in fact! (apologies for any spelling errors).

Early night for me!

Hope to see you there!

K xx

Food Connect - ed!

©Kara Rosenlund

Hold on to your seats! Look at what I have found! Its called Food Connect and it is great!

A seasonal fruit and vegetable co-op based in Salisbury (there is also one in Sydney for you Sydney siders), where South East Queensland farmers bring in their stunning produce and it gets distributed into boxes for a fruit and vegetable box scheme!

I know what you are thinking.... Salisbury, thats not near me..... wait...get this....a truck collects all the boxes and delivers them to 'City Cousins' in Brisbane City. 'City Cousins' are people who put their hands up and act as community collection depots.

Wait, it gets better, you then find someone in your local neighbourhood who is a 'City Cousin' on the Food Connect website and pop over to their house and collect your box! Community building too!

Voila. Local, seasonal, low kilometers and high *density fruit and vegetables! (Apparently *fruit and vegetable density is going to become a buzz phrase soon, as it relates to how much actual goodness is in the produce. Watch out supermarkets, word on the street is your stuff isn't very dense man!)

Above is the Gourmet Box which I collected yesterday from around the road! Can you believe it! There were a few more mushrooms, though I had a nibble.

K x

p.s the box is actually a standard cardboard box, though I wanted to pretty it up for you and place mine in a crate.

New Stock

©Kara Rosenlund

Here is another sneak peek of the gorgeous bits that have arrived for this weeks market!

Just arrived, a large French 'eau de vie' bottle. I have a couple of these around the house. They are hard to come buy and are very heavy. I love thick old glass that catches sunlight, very impressive!

A stunning old still life of a box of cherries and fruit. I think including art in the kitchen adds a dash of flamboyance.... who wants to be plain and safe anyway.

Old engraved silver fish knives in lab beakers, metal cloches, Scottish pottery from the Highlands and a set of Wedgwood plates! What more could you ask for.

A very unusual and sturdy French workshop stool on three legs in dove grey.

A collection of old thick glass Apothecary jars, available individually. I love these, I keep all sorts in my apothecary jars; spices and dried herbs in the kitchen and bits of my ribbon and feather collection that I want to see at a glance. (p.s I think everyone should have a feather collection! Such natural beauty!)

If you have seen something that you are interested in and can't wait til Saturday (like me!) feel free to email at hello@kararosenlund.com

K xx

Standard Issue

©Kara Rosenlund

I was out and about sourcing yesterday for a shoot when to my pure joy I came across these...

Original 1968 Swags from the Vietnam War - never used!

I was squealing about all over the place when I saw them; I bought a few as I think they have many different uses. The fabric is a beautiful heavy cotton and there is foam in the middle for support, plus the slip is removable for washing and ironing - could this get any better!

I have mine on the front daybed at the moment, though I think they would work if you wanted to take them to the park too, or of course 'glamping' (thats glamorous camping Mum, I didn't spell it wrong) and I think it would work as a chic baby play mat. What do you think?

They will be available at the next Travelling Wares market, though if you are anything like me and can't wait til then you can always email me!

K xx

P.S The last image is of our hyacinths out the front, see, I told you they would be appearing soon... ( Between you and me I was actually a bit worried that they would not appear at all). Here is when I planted them.

Moroccan Wedding Blankets

©Kara Rosenlund

One of my most absolute loves are Moroccan Wedding Blankets. I love everything about them; the tradition, the colour palette, the texture, everything!

This one proudly hangs in our hallway and is about 60 years old. I was SO completely OBSESSED by them that when Timothy O and I spent some time in Morocco everything seemed to revolve around getting my hands on a genuine wedding blanket - just like Prada, Gucci and LV there are many faux blankets out there - beware.

If a holiday to Morocco isn't on the cards any time soon then pop over to Table Tonic's online shop for a dose of Moroccan Wedding Blanket beauty!!

Louise at Table Tonic even recently mentioned me in her '9 Bookmark-Worthy Sites I (only) discovered' post.

- yippee!

K xx

Hello Aunty!

©Kara Rosenlund

That's right, I am now a proud Aunty...... Aunty Kara, hehehe, I like it. I have never been an Aunt before, being an only child I wasn't too sure if becoming an Aunt was on the cards for me, however Timothy O's clever brother and sister-in-law welcomed a gorgeous little boy into the world this week!

So, in pure decadent Aunty style, I decided to make an outrageously high cake to celebrate and eat a slice for breakfast..... bring on the sleep overs I say!!!

K xx

P.S I'm so in love with this little glass cake stand that arrived this week... not sure if it will make it on to the trestles at the market...

Wholesome Sunday

©Kara Rosenlund

A big THANK YOU to all of our lovely customers who came to the Powerhouse Famers Market on Saturday, it was great to see you all!

What a cracker of a gorgeous day! I hope you have had a chance to use your new found treasures over the weekend - baking tins, silver cutlery, milk jugs, plates and more!

I whipped up a quick roast chicken lunch yesterday in between tree lopping with Timothy O and a couple of furniture deliveries.

I love a good ol' classic Sunday lunch, so wholesome.

K xx