L is for Lovely Living

Sorry for my long long absence. But a lot can happen in a year!
I think it is time for a new fresh start and some blogging, yeah!!!

With only girls in my house, i am slowly making it in my dream home. Lots and lots of white paint is used and lots is still waiting to be used. Florals in pink and red, new quilts, always fresh flowers and lots of baking (that is what brings a smile on our face) and some extra on the hips as well, a well you only live ones !!

The L is for Lovely Living the shop i have for 3 years now and it is still my passion. I am living the dream.
It is hard work and as a single mum not always easy when the kids have school holidays, but i am my own boss and that is great.

This year for the first time i am organizing a Lovely Living Home and Garden Christmas fair.
I will transform my shop for one weekend to my home and my garden. Fingers crossed for nice weather though. So if you are in the area, you can do your Christmas shopping all at ones.
Lots of great gifts, Christmas decorations, flowers, buntings, coffee, tea and cake (yeah cake again !!)

                                                    Image from the garden

                                                    Image from my house

                                                    Stock waiting to be sold

You are more than welcome !!!

I is for inspiration

I am inspired by......... a lot of things. A saying like thing makes me very inspired the more you read it the better it is, I know we all try to live well, laugh often and love much but we can always do a bit more.

And I get inspired by lovely magazines.

I was so happy to see my own shop advertised in the back of the magazine, hope you are inspired to have a look at my website: http://www.lovelyliving.co.nz/

Have a great weekend!

E is for Excited

The E is for exiting and I must say i am exited. Most of you know that I have a gift shop on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand and I can tell you now that my on-line shop is open as well. A lot of work was involved with making the website, I had a good team behind me an they did a great job. Without them there was no website, I am absolute not good with computers at all.

We had a photo shoot on a beautiful sunny day here on the coast and I think they photo's look great. But if you want to seen more have a look here:

http://www.lovelyliving.co.nz/

So I think you understand why I am so excited, I have a great shop and an on-line shop as well.

Happy shopping!

Crochet.

I'm in the crochet mood lately. It is so easy to carry with you. Most of the times I carry wool and a crochet needle with me in my bag.
I made a small baby blanket and a bigger rug for a customer and today I finished these great cushions. All in naturals and I think they look great.

Some work to do!

After a long time we went to some garage sale on Saturday and I must say it was worth wile.
I'm always a bit in a hurry because I have to open my shop in the morning as well, but for some great garage sales you make some time.




The car was full with bits and pieces and most of the are already in use. What a bit of white paint can do. Have a look yourself.

One small table is in use at the back veranda to enjoy the midday and evening sun.

From the old brown frame I made a lovely picture frame that is for sale in my shop. Two weeks ago I made one like this and it was sold within a day.

And the little shelf rack found his place in my workspace behind the shop.

And you have never enough tables to put things on in the shop, so the small one is for the shop and is for sale as well.

It was a busy weekend but I loved it!

Shop update and trade me.

After a long break here some pictures from my shop.

We are working hard on e website but it is not working jet, but for the ones who are living in New-Zealand like me you can find me on Trade-Me as well. I trade under the name lovelyliving, so have a look and happy bidding :)

Tell all you friend about this great opportunity.

And when my web site is in the air you are the first one to know.

On trade me there is just a small collection of what I sell, but I you see something on one of the pictures don't hesitate to ask.

Sorry for my long break, but I needed some time off after all what happened.

I never had the feeling before that I could sit on the couch and doing nothing even my brain wasn't thinking. But I'm back now and I worked hard in my shop to make lots and lots of stock for Christmas. Maybe you are not thinking of Christmas jet but as a shop owner you start thinking of Christmas in may!

Happy Mothers day !!

This is how I wrap the presents. I make the bags myself by sewing 2 nice pages of a magazine together. With a sticker from the shop and a ribbon made out of a piece of material it looks great.
All the customers love it and the come back because they love the wrapping!!
Great marketing.

Here are some great mothers day ideas from my shop.

The bath and body range from Cath Kidston.

Greengate.

Wish you all a nice weekend!!

Welcome in my shop, Lovely Living

Here are some pictures from my shop.

A little impression.

I was planning to open my shop in September 2009, but I went back to The Netherlands because my mum was really sick. She still is very sick.

Going back to The Netherlands was the best I did and it gave me a lot of energy to do what you really want because life is to short not to enjoy it.

I opened my shop in October and from the beginning it went very well. I enjoy every minute. It is a lot of work because I work 6 days a week but it is great.

My wish came true!

I make a lot of things myself but buy a lot as well.

I organize craft classes as well, some evenings and sometimes a Saturday afternoon, we call that the crafternoons. I provide every thing they need and coffee/tea and cake and it is always a lot of fun!

Here some pictures from the cushions that I make out of old blankets,they flying out. Sometimes I make them custom made with the name they want on there.

When you are in the area, you are more than welcome to pop in.