I am sick and tired of old fruit and vegetables from Safeway and Coles

Gorgeous image from here.

(Walking into room)

(Putting soapbox down)

(Stepping on to soap box)

(Clears throat)

Righto - this post is a small vent. I have had it to the back teeth with old fruit and vegetables from our local supermarkets. Usually I go to a traditional fruit and vegetable store, but in recent weeks I have been bad and rushing around the supermarket like a headless chicken.

I rushed in to Safeway on Saturday and purchased, amongst other things, some broccolini, potatoes, mushrooms and a red capsicum.

I could bend the broccolini in half, without coming anywhere near snapping it, by Monday. I threw it in the compost.

All of the potatoes were going green by Tuesday. I shaved and shaved them - mashed potato at dinner.

I used the mushrooms for lunch everyday. They were massively drying out by Monday and were rubbery by Tuesday.

I used the capsicum for lunches. Wrinkled by Wednesday.

And, yes, this is all with the correct storage of them. Sick of crappy fruit and vegies from supermarkets. I can't wait until all of our garden starts to really come on and give us fresh, crisp and nutrient-laden food...

(Thanks peeps for listening to her rant)

(Says have a lovely day!)

(Gets off soap box)

(Leaves room)

New arrivals - Wed/Thu 28/29 July

Lots of gorgeous vintage fabric coming your way! These pieces are either up on the website already or coming this afternoon or tomorrow morning...enjoy!

Vintage fabric new additions - Monday 27 July

This is just a snapshot of what's going up on the website this afternoon - more to come when I can take some shots! Busy day today - will be in touch again, soon...

Postage policy update

We had an interesting weekend in some ways. We've been debating whether to register all parcels we send out (we keep hearing of horror stories with other online merchants) and then, out of the blue, we got an email from Paypal detailing a chargeback generated by a customer's bank. One positive is it has nothing to do with our stock - it is a fraud case and her credit card has been used without her authority. Now Paypal is locked in a battle with her bank account to get to the bottom of it - but it looks like, even though we have order confirmation emails and receipts to confirm we posted the fabric, that we will have to foot the bill as we can't prove the fabric actually arrived (not that it makes a difference in a fraud case IMHO). Thank goodness it's only AUD$60! But, upon reading the Paypal buyer/seller protection program in full, Paypal would have had to have picked up the bill had the parcel been registered.

We've also had a couple of parcels taking too long to arrive recently - and it's been frustrating for us that we can't track the location of the parcels (both customers opted to choose just normal postage)...so, we've had to come to a difficult decision. Instead of charging our customers a nominal $2 postage/packaging fee, we have now updated our website to offer complete peace of mind:

Aussie customers - can choose between $6 Registered Post or $10 Express Post (all you pay for your entire order). If Express orders are placed before 11am they will be posted that afternoon. If they arrive after 11am they will be posted on the next business day.

International - registration is now compulsory for all parcels.

Thought you would like the update!

The perfect pattern

This is what welcomed me when I went out in the backyard to let the chickens out of their coop to free range. Isn't it amazing? It's perfect - softly waving in the wind with tiny dew drops all about. It looked absolutely wonderful - and just so serene. Isn't weaving pattern amazing, when you think about it? We've woven baskets and blankets for thousands of years, spiders have woven their webs since the beginning of time and fabric warp and weft still makes me excited. I love pattern.

Much to do today - I'll be back later on to make some announcements regarding our altered postage policy and to show you some other things we're working on...

Have a great day!

xNess

Joi Lansing - The Web Of Love

Vintage fabric new additions - Friday 23 July

I've just popped all of these up on the website - check our new arrivals here. Our Facebook followers are finding out about the uploads within a minute of going live on the website - so, if you'd like to see our new arrivals as soon as you can, click the Like button on our Facebook widget to the right of this post.

Outstanding vintage fabric cushions...

The idea of making cushions using vintage fabrics is not new, as you know - there is a plethora of cushions on offer worldwide and, I have to admit, I haven't been a fan of a lot of them. The new 'thing' of combining multiple fabrics in larger panels on the front (usually with mixed patterns) is great, but I have never been over the moon with anything I have seen. But Jane Foster's eye for fabulous vintage fabric and using the fabric a la solo is one of my loves, definitely. I think it's because they are just so simple - so crisp. They are not busy. They simply allow the textile design to sing!

Jane Foster's cushion shop is here and her blog is here.

Pure modernist Frank Lloyd Wright - it takes your breath away!

I found this via Apartment Therapy this morning and my heart has been aflutter ever since. This is the last house Frank Lloyd Wright did - it's called The Palmer House - and you can rent it, if you can believe it! More information here and here - I just couldn't help but pop these photos on the blog as isn't it amazing modernist design? Gorgeous.

Dear Winter slippers

Dear Winter slippers

You are my favourite new arrival, lovely Winter slippers. I am not myself without you. There is something wonderful about drinking a warm coffee in the morning while your feet are getting warm in their new striped boots-style slippers. I just had to say - I am so grateful to you, I couldn't live without you at the moment...but, yes, you're history when Spring comes around, so don't say I didn't warn you...

Keep toasty!

xNess

Woops! Short fabric now on clearance...

Woops! Justin cut this piece as a half yard/metre instead of a complete pattern repeat - so I've popped it in the Clearance section of the website for half price - only $12.99 for the piece - view here.

Whatya up to today?

It's a lovely Wednesday morning here and I have already started filling our new set of shelving. I am listening to 3AW, looking out at the sunshine and I'm completely alone....I have to admit, I love working in silence, with just music or the radio going. I am going through all of our remnant pieces today - splitting them into little scraps, useable pieces and larger pieces...all by colourway. You can imagine how many pieces we have - I refuse to throw much away! - but it's a job needing to be done, so I'll go through it little by little.

What are you doing today? Are you having a wonderful day at work or at home or is your day a little meh? If it's a little meh I hope it gets brighter and better! Think of something you love....chocolate, for me!...and perhaps that may bring a little, teeny, weeny smile to your face...

xNess

Retro Print Revival - me wantee!

Argh - these images are small, but I think you get the idea! These fab lamps are from Retro Print Revival and they are vintage bases with vintage fabric - uber cool, methinks!