wallpaper for the bedroom

We've chosen this beautiful Ferm Living wallpaper called Bindweed to paper a wall in our bedroom (the niche behind the bed) and also in our dressing room behind the mirror. 4 rolls are on their way to us! I've booked in the wallpaper hanger for late next week so we are really looking forward to seeing the difference the wallpaper makes. 

I love wallpaper, but I've never wallpapered a wall in our home before. This pattern is perfect, very organic, and while the pattern makes an impact it's also neutral. Like I said, perfect. I was thinking of using Ferm Living's Black Berry wallpaper but another blogger pointed me in the direction of this one instead, so glad she did. I didn't have the guts to hang it myself, I couldn't bear to mess it up, plus very busy right now so not enough time in the day! Do you have any wallpaper in your home, do you love it? 


ps. Like the Orla quilt? I've been meaning to take a photo of it for the longest time.


Images:  Ferm Living; olive & joy

so busy

You guys. I've been sooo busy. It kills me that I haven't posted on here in a week. We have something very exciting coming up that we have been getting ready for. 


In amongst all of the other busy-ness I have been vintage hunting (great finds yesterday!!!), experimenting with screen printing onto plywood, and driving my husband batty with choosing wallpaper for our home.


It's been crazy fun! Just wanted to let you know that I am still here, just busy.


xx

new in store!

Off white linen with a shiny silver foil print. So beautiful. The upholstered ottoman/table has a glass top, only one in stock. 


The cushions are lovely too. The rectangular version is sold out but I will have more in stock soon.  You like?


Available now in the shop!


Images: olive & joy

heart flowers

              

I've been busy. Designing, organising, mixing and printing. Here is the result. A new design called Heart Flowers. Little flowers made up of faceted hearts. The original concept was a heart made up of triangles. But when it all came together it seems it is much more, including flowers and a lattice pattern of squares and diamonds. I like it and I hope you do too. I made so many patterns with this little faceted heart, if I get a few more designs up and running I'm thinking of calling the collection Love Triangle. Hee hee.

On the weekend I experimented with mixing and printing a few different colourways. I've yet to print it in white and black, which I think will be quite striking. The colours so far are Pigeon, Deep Water, Watermelon, and Sunny Day. Not sure which colours will make the cut, your suggestions may help with that! I wouldn't mind mixing a few more colours to test out, so if you can see this pattern in another colour, by all means, tell me.

I should have some of the tea towels up in the store later this week. I want to ponder over the colours for a few days first.

Images: olive & joy

birthday

A few days ago I turned 33. Three is my favourite number so I am really loving being 33. A friend told me that my 'number' in terms of numerology is 33 so this year will be extra special, and you know what? I can feel it already. 

Here is a little bit of the birthday booty as I call it. The perfect ingredients to a happy birthday - chocolates, a beautiful print for the wall, colourful nail polish, an awesome necklace and a favourite movie. I had a late afternoon trip to our local calm water beach with my niece and mum then dinner with family. 

ps. I'm half-watching The Breakfast Club right now. I would do this all the time when I was younger, put the movie on and work away at my school or uni projects on the living room floor, half-watching it. It is the first time I have watched the movie in a really long time, as I only ever had the video (and no video player to watch it now). That song (do you know the one?) is still one of my all time favourites.  

Image: olive & joy

my little printing room

This tiny little room, on this tiny table is where I print. I was hoping to give it a workout tomorrow with a new screen but the new screen has not arrived. Hmmmph! I'm so impatient once I get a new design ready. The feeling of printing your first print of a new design is super special. Is it going to look ok, oh it looks awesome (I hope)! The best feeling. 

Image: olive & joy

more japan love

Japan Love from Julie Palmer on Vimeo.

I love this video. I just watched it for the first time in probably about five years. A tea house in a beautiful park in Tokyo. We felt so honoured and excited to be in an amazing country and city, surrounded by the most beautiful, respectful people. It was a culture shock in the best way possible. I felt those emotions all over again watching this video. You are in our thoughts and in our hearts, dear Japan.

Video: olive & joy

to japan with love

Images: olive & joy

effortless parisian style

Have you ever wondered just how Parisian women manage to look so effortlessly chic? Me too. I love Ines de la Fressange's guide to dressing like a Parisian I saw in Lonny mag last night. Plenty of A-ha! moments for me. 

Example: "An evening dress with ultra-plain, open toed sandals (not with the gem-encrusted evening variety)".  Can you picture it? Or perhaps this one: "A diamond necklace with a denim shirt, during the day (not with a black dress at night)".  

The not-to-do's are fashion gold. Seems to me it is all about holding back a little, whilst still being a little unexpected at the same time. Dressing casual up (just a touch), dressing dressy down. Makes perfect sense, oui? 

Images: Lonny

marion hall best

Marion Hall Best is one of the famed Australian designers on our Design Destination tea towel. I thought that some of you may not be familiar with Hall Best's work so this article in the current issue of Vogue Living gives you a little peek into her world. Seen through the eyes of stylist Sibella Court who styles up rooms in Hall Best's signature mad, colourful style. We all love Marimekko, yes?  We can thank Marion for being the first to introduce Australia to their brilliant bolts of fabric along with the furniture of international designers Eames, Saarinen and Bertoia amongst others.

Marion Hall Best had a lengthy career as an interior designer (spanning over 40 years) and as you will see was not afraid of colour! I love the photos of the original hand painted colour chips Hall Best used for inspiration. Enjoy.

Images: olive & joy

(Taken with my brand spankers new DSLR, so in love! Enjoying putting my eye to the viewfinder once again, and the sound of the photo being taken ch-kush. Love it)

the spring

Catherine over at The Spring blog has interviewed me today, pop on over here for a look. Catherine has just moved to Brisbane from Toronto, now that is a big move! The Spring is a wonderful lifestyle blog, Catherine posts about fashion, home, food along interviews in her Style & Substance series. Thanks Catherine, welcome to Brisbane.

Image: olive & joy

inspiration

Here is a peek at what was inspiring me this weekend. What is inpiring you?

Images: olive & joy

atlantic

We just arrived back from a few days in the beautiful Byron Bay region. This is where we stayed Atlantic Guesthouses at Byron Bay.   We would have loved to have stayed in the airstream trailer but it was already booked. Instead we stayed in a lovely room in the Driftwood wing pictured above and below. I love the contrast of the dark stained cladding and white woodwork, then the light grey (when not wet!) of the well worn decking. And the barn doors, love those barn doors! There are a few other cottages dotted around the lush grounds and several accomodation choices. Simple and stylish rooms and a very big comfy bed. Bathrooms were a little basic for my liking but I would stay here again any day. 

I spent yesterday at a styling workshop in nearby Bangalow with Shannon Fricke. My mind can't stop racing with ideas now so I've got lots to work on this weekend. Always inspiring to spend a day in Shannon's company. I realised this morning I didn't take many pics at all of the day, I was too busy absorbing everything. It was a fantastic learning curve for my interests in styling, branding, and how that relates to me as a stylist and as a store owner and designer. 

Have a good weekend! I'm going to have a few new things up in the store next week so keep your eyes peeled.

Images: Mr olive & joy (he took them for me as I was getting ready for the workshop!)

olive & joy now on twitter

olive & joy is now on Twitter, come and say hi (and if you would follow me, well that would be rad too)!  So if you haven't had enough of me here, come and visit me over there. Just click on my ginormous-but-awesome Twitter icon in the right sidebar.

Image: olive & joy