My 2011....

I was inspired by Kyla of Little Bird after her blog post to take stock of the year that has been. It's been a big year for both me and Red Revival. It's an interesting project to make a "list"of your year, try it, you just might be surprised.

2011
The year started with water, lots of water, I watched and helped friends stricken by floods.
I kissed my girl goodbye as she started started her journey at school and could hardly believe she was that same baby who fought so hard to live through open heart surgery at 4 weeks old.
I exhibited at my first trade show helped by a lovely friend and mentor.
I got new opportunities to wholesale Red Revival across the country in beautiful stores.
I doubted myself many times.
I got a second honeymoon with the love of my life.
I fell in love with Tasmania.
I learnt new skills.
I failed.
I succeeded.
(repeated last 2 points various times throughout the year)
We bought some land.
We sold a beautiful house.
We made plans to build a beautiful house.
I exhibited in a bigger way at my second trade show helped my another wonderful friend and mentor.
I got more lovely stockists.
We had a difficult diagnosis with our boy.
We moved.
I lost a favourite aunt.
I cursed cancer.
I got creative block.
I had a break through and realised I had been intimidated about using an item I had long wanted in my range by someone I cut out of my life 18 months ago.
I gave myself a good talking to about letting things go.
I felt excited about designing and creating again.

Bring on 2012!

Em xoxox

Merry Christmas... From us to you!

Miss Betty (one of my display girls you may remember from LiS ) Has got her tinsel on to wish you and yours a lovely Christmas.

It has been a wonderful year for Red Revival and I feel very blessed to have over 40 fabulous stockists all over this beautiful country. We have big plans for 2012 (including getting our new house and studio built), but this weekend we'll be focusing on enjoying family and friends and hope you are all doing the same. Thanks for sharing our journey with us this year.

Em xxxxx

Sale Time!

Sale Time!!! These Tas Oak veneer jewellery trees are being discontinued and we are selling out the last 10 at $28 with FREE SHIPPING.... crazy - Normally $48 plus shipping- just head to the SALE category atwww.redrevival.com.au

Beautiful surrounds... Beautiful shopping... 4th December

We won't be at the Young Designers Market in December as we have grabbed the opportunity to be part of a lovely event at one of our favourite spots, the Elm Haus Cafe at Mt Glorious. Come and join us for a day out in the forest, you won't be disappointed!

Advance Purchase...

image from here

I've always loved this Cole & Son wallpaper and I was super excited when it came from the UK this week. It's for a wall in our bedroom in our "yet to be built" house......

Well I had to buy it while the dollar is strong right?? Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it lol.

New Stuff... Our Spring/ Summer collection- Shapes and Colours

I don't know about you but when I think warmer weather I think colour. Our new collection is based on geometrics and colour blocking. I'd love to hear what you think. All the pieces will debut at this weekend's Finders Keepers Market in Brisbane.... Yay!

A long overdue pic from Life inStyle...

Meet Marcie, Betty and Sophia, my cameo ladies....

Reality and Fantasy

Kate Leigh 1930

Matilda (Tilly) Devine 1925

Back in the day (seems like a lifetime ago) one of my majors at uni was Modern History. And all "Arts Degree" jokes aside, you did get to study some pretty cool characters including these ladies (term used most generously) above. Of course you would need no introduction to this pair thanks to the widely publicised new "Underbelly" series. Now I am no purist or stickler when it comes to sticking to historical accuracy. However I thought I would share these pics of the real Kate and Tilly from around the time of setting of the series (1927) out of interest. Kate was decidedly portly and middle aged and Tilly was no oil painting... A bit different from those svelte actresses? Maybe, but I think good entertainment/ fantasy has it's own merit. So bring on those pretty young things and on with the show! I like to think Kate and Tilly would be quietly pleased, I mean I'd love to have a younger better looking actress play me (or even pretend to be me at my next high school reunion... now there's a thought).

Fun at Life inStyle! Come and say hello :-)

life inStyle Melbourne

How sad.......

Now I don't normally say or do anything when my stuff is copied but this really got to me. I feel sad for this person more than anything else. I freely admit that I do not own the original image but these brooches are an exact copy of mine right down to the size and this person is a local so the feeling that I have been "stalked" is not a nice one.

Big News..... We are moving!

We have always wanted to move to acreage at some stage and have always gravitated towards Samford in the "on and off" search. Well, an opportunity presented itself that we just couldn't pass up last week. So we will be putting our lovely house at Nundah on the market in the next couple of weeks. I would be lying if I didn't say I was a little sad, I love this house and our community but it feels like the right time to make the move. I am really excited to be building our own home on this land though. My head has been buzzing with design ideas and I can't wait to see it take shape!

Anyway I had better get back on task and finish prepping for Finders Keepers this weekend!!

New Stockist; Out on a Limb Eco Design Store

(image courtesy of Out on a Limb Eco Design Store)

We are excited to have sent our first order off to new stockist, Out on a Limb Eco design Store in Maylands WA. The store looks simply fabulous and is a credit to it's owner Kiri, now to just find an excuse to take a trip to Perth so I can visit tee hee :-)

Sneak Peek

Just a little preview of a new collaboration with the wonderful Sophie of Strat Designs. There will be a limited number of advance pieces available at Friday's BrisStyle Indie Twilight Market- Yay!

Yay we're in!.....

YAY, we are soooo excited (and honoured) to be part of the Brisbane Finders Keepers line up again. So put it in you diaries and come say hi on the first weekend in July ;-)

High Finance

I took this Photo yesterday while finishing off some coasters with Thea's lovely designs...

The irony only just hit me. For those that didn't know me in my previous life, I was Treasury Banker and one of my most hated daily chores was reading the Fin Review (no offence Rupert). So I guess using it as scrap paper is the ultimate revenge, Mwaaahaha.

P.S. The Fin wasn't mine, my dad left it behind, honest!!

Exciting news....

I'm super chuffed to announce the Red Revival will be a part of the Melbourne 2011 Life in Style trade event. I am excited that it will be held in the world heritage listed exhibition hall (I'm a history buff). I'm also thrilled to be representing a wholesale range from Strat Designs at this event. Yay!!

Lest we forget

This is my favourite image of my maternal grandparents Ray and Dorothy (Mardie and Pa). Candid images are often the best aren't they. This was taken just after Ray returned from the PNG front in WWII and you can see him in uniform. Like a lot of diggers he didn't like to talk about his time at war. He died before I had a chance to know him but as a fomer history major at uni I sincerely hope we have the good sense to learn from history and not to repeat it.


Please do not duplicate or use this image for any other purpose.

Winners, Ponies and a Pain in the Neck

Hi Lovely Followers.... First of all sorry for the absence of blog posts, my neck has been somewhat disagreeable of late despite several stern "talking tos" and a small fortune spent at the physio :-) However it's on the mend now so onto more fun stuff!!

Sooo, the winners of our little ladies in the "name them" giveaway are Kylie for her suggestion of Marcie for our lass in pink and Sarah for her recommendation of Dorothy for gal number 2. Kylie has her little lady but Sarah please shoot me your deets so I can send you your very own Dorothy!

I'd also like to introduce you to Red Revival's newest design, the "wild ponies" line. At the moment the line includes a graduated set of 3 wall hangings (I don't know about you but I'm sick of ducks), and a super sweet brooch. I'd love to hear your thoughts! xx

Thought on Thursday

"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."

Martin Luther King Jnr

3 new Girls on the block, and you can name and win 2 of them!

I am excited to announce that we have some new additions to our popular Vintage Sewing Pattern Model brooches. Meet Gwen, she's named after a very special lady. But the other two girls are still waiting for names... That's where you come in! Simply leave a comment here or on facebook suggesting a name for lady 1 and/ or 2 and if your name is chosen you'll get your very own to wear on your winter jacket. Read on...



This is our first nameless gal, she's from a 1960's Butterick pattern and she looks like she's got mischief on her mind!



This is our lovely lady number 2 from an early 50s Australian Ladies Home Journal. Check out that frock!

I can't wait to hear all your lovely suggestions. xx

Saturday Giggle

I thought this might give you a chuckle to start your weekend. This sign graces Anna's Coffee machine at Brewbakers Albion (seriously the best bagels in Brisbane). Now where's my coffee?... Happy Saturday all!

One day... But not today...

I know it's a bit of a cliche, the "girl who wants a shop" but I admit I would like a little bricks and mortar shop one day. When this sweet little shop came up walking distance from my house I was seriously tempted. But as my long suffering husband rightly pointed out I've kinda got enough on my plate right now :-)

So I'll put that dream back on the shelf.... For now....

Rainy Day

Rain, Rain go away... Well at least it's better that the sweltering heat we have had over the last couple of days in Brissy. Don't you just LOVE these Walnut riding boots? I was visiting my wonderful stockist Urban Dweller yesterday (They are in Samford so if you are near there check out the shop it's gorgeous, truly!) and I saw these out the front and squealed like a teenage girl :-) They are definitely on my wish list for rainy days like these.

Lazy....

I have a head cold, and all I want to do is curl up in bed all day (picture from here). I can't though, I have to get on with making goodies for YDM this Sunday at southbank... Now where's that garlic?....

Swonderful

Today happened to catch "Funny Face" on the ABC while I was filling orders. I also had a chat with my mum who is in the south island of NZ right now. They are safe but know several people who were directly affected by the quake. I was thinking about all the shocking stories we are hearing of death and destruction and how we take just about every one and everything for granted, at least I do. So I'm off to hug my kids, maybe play some cars and barbies. Then enjoy some time with hubby when they go off to sleep.... It's Swonderful!

Frankie Love

Red Revival was lucky enough to have our Vintage Sewing Model Brooches featured in the Frank bits section of the new March Frankie. I was a little excited to say the least, in fact it came out the morning I was flying down to Sydney last week and I nearly crash tackled the poor guy unloading the new magazines at the Airport news agency :-) Yay!

Hello from Sydney

I thought I would just pop in on my dodgy hotel Internet connection to share a couple of Photos from our Stand at Life in Style. Thea has done an amazing job with her "Parisian Windows" display although it took her a long time and a lot of work! I'm so happy with how my display frames worked out and I have been asked to sell them so many times I think I will have to add them to the range. I've really been having a great time meeting buyers and others who make beautiful things but being on your feet all day takes its toll so I had better go to bed, nighty night!

All photos taken by Thea Samios of Thea and Sami.

A different kind of Valentines Day love....

I'm not big on Valentines Day (to the relief of my husband I'm Sure). However the day is special to me for another reason, 5 years ago today I got to take my beautiful baby girl home from hospital. So what you say? Well the ward I was taking her home from was not maternity but a paediatric cardiac ward. After a rough first month including the diagnosis of complete Atrioventricular Septal Defect and open heart surgery she was finally coming home. The irony of Valentines day being about "hearts" was not lost on me! That was the best gift I could ever receive :-)

Frames

These are the frames that I painted and then cut for display at Life in Style... What do you think? There will be a couple more colours and I'll see what works best....

Winner!!

The winner of the doily clock has been decided! I used Random.org to pick the winning number... no5. So that's Catherine Conaty!!! Shoot me your address Catherine and I'll have it tik tokin it's way to you :-)

Lighting love

I am in love with this David Trubridge "coral" pendant light. I would love it to replace a truly awful chandelier we have hanging in our dining room. Davids designs are not limited to lighting and I can only imagine the sort of inspiration he must get from living on beautiful Hawk's Bay NZ. Maybe if I make a wish to the home decorating fairy?

Super fabulous excellent awesomeness...

Yes that is one grammatical nightmare of a title! But I am super excited to share some news with you. A few of you may already know about this but Red Revival will be having a small presence at the February Life in Style in Sydney. The wonderful Thea of Thea and Sami is kindly representing some Red Revival goodies at her stand of fabric loveliness. This will be my first trade show and I can't wait :-)

Hi All well I don't know where to begin, our lovely city is in flood. I grew up with stories of "74" but we thought it wouldn't happen again with Wivenhoe to protect us. Well it has, we are ok for the moment but our thoughts and prayers are with those who are not so lucky. I have listed two of our clocks on etsy for the Brisstyle Handmade Ark appeal here

Please stay safe and I will be praying for all of you in threatened areas, Em x

New Year Giveaway- Doily Clock!

Happy 2011 people. I recently dragged myself into this century and set up a facebook page for Red Revival. So I thought I'd do a little giveaway of one of our super duper popular doily clocks. Just make sure you're a follower of the blog and that you "like" Red Revival on facebook and leave a comment. Plus to double your chances suggest the facebook page to your friends and let me know in the comment and you'll have 2 entries in the draw.