Marley and Lockyer

Gratitude….

Ness Lockyer — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:34:15 +0000

Wow…it’s Tuesday already! This last week or so while I have slowed down a little, I have been appreciating more and more the little things around me…the details, my surroundings, my work, our home. Even this bunch of Chrysanthemums I bought this morning. It’s all so beautiful when you have time to stop and take it in.

Mason, our youngest and I even had a chance to catch some images of him outside blowing bubbles in the amazing Winter weather we have been having…cold nights, crisp, clear days….

Sunny enough to even get the washing dried…unheard of in Tassie at this time of year!

We are so lucky to live in the country where we do with loads of room for two boisterous boys and two very energetic Border Collies to run about. I am very grateful for that.

Kodah, our puppy has grown over the last few weeks…she is just over 6 months old now!

…and she is very cheeky…and also my shadow.

When I do happen to have some spare time…the inside of our ‘Old Lady’ is never far off my mind and that Kitchen makeover is high on the list, but the bathroom window needs a blind and as much as I love the little covering I have here, I really need to get something permanent up…which adds another blind to the two I need to make for the kitchen as well!

Small details in the studio have been catching my eye..like the left over details from a product shoot for the Cinematic Lights I recently done. I made up a little card which resembles an old Tea advertising card…I have always coveted these signs, but they are hard to get.

…all in all I am grateful for it all…

Ness xx

Foraging and a restful week…

Ness Lockyer — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 07:37:08 +0000

So, I am still under the weather and haven taken basically this week off from Marley & Lockyer to just…be. You know, catch up on home. Now that my voice has returned, I thought I needed to go out and forage for some new branches to put through the house…and I can never seem to go past this bush of berries though. I collected a bucket full…and some linen.

some of the branches ended up in the bathroom

I did manage to get some work done…while I was meant to be resting…I can’t keep away from it. I felt inspired and made some new pieces as well as got a few more of the Christmas ’13 range made. Christmas production starts very early in the year in the studio here and most of it was designed and started in March…I know!

While I have been being a homebody, there has been a lot of cooking going on. It’s like medicine for your soul I think

…oh, and some of the other branches ended up here in the kitchen…

…a wonderful, hearty and healthy, vegetable soup was made with fresh market produce. This is a snippet of the veggies that went in!

We have been having some lovely dinners, just casually by the fire each evening as it is getting very chilly here each night.

…and while I have been recuperating, there have been some early nights. I love this time of evening, when the boys are all tucked up, the fire is crackling away and you can get a chance to have a read in bed…or a chat.

We have even managed to have a few lie-ins…not for too long, but a lie in nonetheless

I even managed to organise the new ceramic and porcelain pieces I picked up while I was in Sydney at Finders Keepers. I love collecting other designers work and here I have a tiny little feather bowl from Kim Wallace Ceramics, the Rabbit bud vase from Elm Design and a vintage pewter jug my Mum picked up for me while I was staying with her, alongside one of my small Argyle ring dishes.

…anyway, I am so glad to have had this week to relax a little…but the ‘holiday’ is over now. Back to it!

Ness xx

Lime Tart Recipe…

Ness Lockyer — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 09:22:39 +0000

A quick stop in to share this amazing Lime tart Mic and I made…as you can see it didn’t last long!

LIME TART

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY

*2 cups plain flour

*3 tablespoons caster sugar

*155g butter, chopped

*iced water

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and whiz together to form fine breadcrumbs. Then add some iced water (we just use it out of the tap as Tassie tap water may as well be iced right now) to bring mixture together to form a clump. Empty dough out on a lightly floured bench and gently knead it into a ball, cover in cling film and refrigerate for 30 mins.

Preheat oven to 180C and roll out pastry to fit a 25cm removable base tart tin (we used our ceramic pie dish). Prick a few holes into the base, line with baking paper and fill with pie weights or rice and bake for 10 mins. Remove weights/rice and bake for a further 10 mins.

LIME FILLING

*1 cup caster sugar

*4 eggs

*1 cup cream

*1 cup lime juice (we also added some rind)

Place above ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine and dissolve the sugar. Bubbles will form on the top and you need to skim these off with a spoon. Pour into tart shell, reduce oven to 160C, and place back into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tart is just set. Remove from oven and refrigerate until firm. Dust with icing sugar and add a dollop of thick cream to serve.

{original recipe from Donna Hay}

Hope you are enjoying your long weekend! Ness xx

Our Wedding in the country…15 years ago

Ness Lockyer — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:30:19 +0000

15 years ago today, Mic and I were married

…I thought I would share some moments from the day with you out of our album…

We were married at Jamberoo on the NSW, South Coast not far from my home town

at a stunning Art Deco guesthouse, “Gundarimba”. I chose to dress there which made for a stress free day.

My gown was tailored to suit my design and I still love it.

my bouquet was made with roses, organically farmed in Berry NSW, and back in 1998 this was a rare find. They were thick and full. I had an arm sheath, mixed with ‘old mans whiskers’…or twisted willow.

this view was right behind our ceremony…can’t get much more country than that!

the ceremony and reception was all held at Gundarimba. We exchanged vows in the secret stone garden, which is sunken into the back of the property which was the apparent courting place for Lady Packer, who once owned the manor.

I see why. Our dear Families gathered there to watch our moment

All of our photos were also shot here by the amazing Anna Blackman…there was no reason to go anywhere else!

Our bridal party!

Groomsman- Scott, Best Man- Gavin, Mic and I, Cheif Bridsmaid- Melissa, Bridesmaid- Tamie…our dear friends

The day was a blast. Loads of candid moments were caught and these rose petals I collected for months…and ended up down my corset!

The cake, a chocolate mud cake, was designed by me from a sketch I had given to a local baker

A truly happy day for us both

The reception went loooong into the night and even after we left for our honeymoon, our guests stayed on at Gundarimba as we had booked the entire long weekend…it was a real family celebration…in the country

Ness xx

A Finders Keepers Weekend Wrap Up

Ness Lockyer — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 04:44:51 +0000

As you may know, I took off for Sydney Thursday just gone, to attend the Finders Keepers Market to show Marley & Lockyer and everything I had been working on for the last few months. When I arrived, my Sister, Mum and I headed off to Ikea for the obligatory stop then off to Wollongong to stay with my Parents.

I had so many items with me, I actually bruised my arms carrying 45kgs of ceramics/jewelry/soft homewares about! It was worth it though. The market was held at the Australian Technology Park, right near Redfern station…and it was packed! With over 140+ stalls and plenty of room for shoppers to browse (I was told the last venue was so squishy) it was a great evening. I was joined by my two Nieces, Brooke & Tihan on the Friday night (my Brothers girls), which was a laugh-a-minute with them.

It was so lovely to have all of my work out on display after many, many…many hours prepping. Meeting a lot of you was the highlight though. SO many blog/Instagram/Facebook followers came and said hi…and that made my night! After what seemed like a loooong drive back to Wollongong for the night, I was up early for day two.

the place was buzzing and I was fortunate enough to meet a lot of the other ceramic stall holders and purchase some of their wares. I love collecting other potters work and supporting them as I appreciate the work that goes into their creations.

I sold out of a lot of my designs and only had to bring back 8kgs of stock out of 45kgs! My arms thank you!!

A 4:15am…yes, I did say am!…start on Sunday morning had me looking like a zombie to catch the flight back to Tassie. The weather was dreadful and I thought I would be held up…I wish I was. The flight was horrid. Really bad turbu;ence which even had the air hosts panicking! I had flash backs to trip I took with Mum when I was 9 to Scotland where we had a few emergency landings due to engines blowing up and bad turbulence. Flying is certainly not a strong point of mine since that adventure and this was not a nice reminder.

Tassie, however, welcomed me back with clear skies…and I could not get out of that plane quick enough! We ambled over to Evandale markets and stocked up on sourdough bread and headed home to the “Old Lady”

so I could lay here on the sofa all day…I am exhausted…happy, but pooped and now with a head cold so I’m taking it easy this week. Hope you are all well xx