Inspiration Profile - Meg McMillan

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Well, I know that a whole lot of new colourful and exciting stock has arrived at Tea Pea just in time for your Christmas shopping. And they do free shipping for all orders over $150 - excellent!
Tea Pea has recently opened a new brick and mortar store in Khandallah, Wellington and I was grateful that Meg McMillan, owner and creative mind behind Tea Pea, managed to find some time in her busy schedule to do the Inspiration Profile for this week. Enjoy!

Meg McMillan

 

Name: Meg McMillan

 

What do you do: Owner, buyer and designer for Tea Pea, our store in Wellington and online. Also mother to three, Griffin, Coco and baby Rosie. And wife to Scott who works in advertising as a day job, and Tea Pea as an evening job.

Where do you live: Wellington, NZ

What are you working on:Juggling all of the above! It helps that home, the store, our local deli and the kids school is all within walking distance.

Little Lamb felt garland

Colour: Oh I love colour. Primary colours and pastels. And there are so many amazing colour combinations I adore too. Then mixing patterns and colours - oh my! If I had to choose just one colour it would definitely be pink.

Plant/Flowers: Peonies, and thank goodness they only have a short season or I'd be broke. And dahlias too, and as luck would have it we have the most incredible dahlias growing in our garden through summer. Also have a growing collection of indoor plants.

Food: Yes, I love food. French and hearty would be my favourite I think. I'm a 'good ingredients and keep it simple' sort of cook.

Smell: Flowers, especially Jasmine and Daphne, my baby Rosie, a delicious meal.

Style: Surround yourself in what you really love. That's my style, and what I suggest to clients.

The new Tea Pea Store

Who/what inspires me: Enthusiastic, clever, and hard working people.

I work best:  in the morning. Evenings are for wine and dancing.

What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: Get away from my laptop! Go outside, hang out with the kids, catch up with a friend.

The best advice I have been given is: Well, it's from Pinterest - does that count? 'Start each day like it's your birthday'. However I also tend to live by 'Bite off more than you can chew'.

My latest discovery is:Armadillo & Co rugs. I'd like one in every room in the house.

Armadillo & Co rug in New Zealand wool.

Books that I get inspiration from:A good novel - a lovely escape.

Magazines that inspire me: There's so many - if only I had the time to leisurely read them all.

Blogs that I enjoy: There's loads of great NZ blogs - Cush & Nooks, Design Chaser, Studio Home, Milo& Mitzy, re:address, Beautiful Bedlam, Alex Fulton Design.

My favourite room at home is:Our living room. Family, food & fun all happens there.

My office is: a mess!!!

What am I looking forward to: Summer

Feliz Love and Happiness pillow cases

 

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Inspiration profile - Talia O'Connor and Ella Murdoch

Lately I have been regularly hearing about new home wares stores popping up all over New Zealand, which is positive to hear, especially after the tough economic climate from the last few years.
This week's profile opened one recently in Dunedin after having an online store since March. Enjoy and have a great weekend all!

Ella Murdoch and Talia O'Connor

Styling by MintSix

Name: Talia O'Connor & Ella Murdoch

What do you do: We co-own our home wares & lifestyle business, MintSix. We also do interior styling both locally and online. Our business has been online since March and we have we have just opened our first store in Dunedin. 

Where do you live: We live in Dunedin, New Zealand. 

What are you working on: Lately, we've mostly been working on getting our new store up and running, as well as continuing with our online business and working with clients on interior projects.

MintSix store, Dunedin

Colour:Such a hard one, we love colour! Talia: Chartreuse. Ella: Mint & at the moment anything Fuchsia 

Plant/Flowers:T: Currently loving our fiddle leaf fig trees Ficus Lyrata) & I'm very partial to a big beautiful bunch of peonies. E: Lilies

Food: T: Vietnamese E: Dumplings

Smell: T: The smell of summer or my Stella MCartney perfume I can't live without!  E: Jasmine 

Style:  Fashion:   T: Can't beat H&M & Topshop for affordable items and I love anything from Gorman & Mr Zimi. E: Zara, I miss Zara! (Zara was about 100 metres from our apartment in Beijing). We are both also big fans of Isabel Marant and Alexander Wang although unfortunately don't have a huge amount of their pieces in our wardrobe... one day hopefully!

Home: We like an eclectic mix of stylish and functional home wares, quite often with a bit of a twist. At the moment we love brands such as HK Living, Pony Rider, Kip & Co & Brita Sweden. We're also still huge fans of the original items we started importing, our Bamileke Juju Hats and Moroccan Pouffes. These can all be found at MintSix!

Who/what inspires me: Talia: I try and grab at least ten minutes (more like half and hour if I'm honest!) a day on Pinterest & Instagram and try and squeeze in some blog reading once a week. I'm also always inspired when I'm in Melbourne where I lived for eight years, I'm completely obsessed with the place!

I work best:During the day when my children are at school and kindy but also often find myself on the computer again in the evening.

What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: There's nothing quite like a sneak peek into someone else's home. The Design Files showcases some amazing Australian homes weekly on their blog and it's one of the few emails that gets opened immediately when it arrives into my inbox. Being a hoarder, I also never throw away magazines, so I often dip back into old issues of my favourites if I'm lacking inspiration for a particular project.

The best advice I have been given is: To do what you love, work hard and trust your instincts. 

My latest discovery is:All the great Kiwi designers & creatives that I'm discovering now that I'm home. 

Mood boards by Talia - Black

Mood board - yellow and caramel

 Books that I get inspiration from: A range of interiors books. I especially love Todd Selby's books & more recently Megan Morton's, Things I love. 

Magazines that inspire me: Living Etc, Inside Out & Real Living are favourites

Blogs that I enjoy:The Design Files, The Design Chaser, Dos Family, Lovenordic Design Blog, Ascot Friday, Bluebird Vintage, Studio Home, Stylizimo, Desire to Inspire, Emmas Design Blog, Cush &Nooks, Elsass, Sincerely Jules, 79 Ideas, Caroline's Mode, Planete Deco, Fashion me Now, After DRK, The Fashion Guitar, My Scandinavian Home, Milo&Mitzy, Table Tonic...I'll stop now but could go on and on! 

My favourite room at home is:  Probably my living room as that's where we all hang out together. We get the fire cranked up in the winter & it's gets nice and cosy, which is essential here down South!

My office has:Been used as the MintSix headquarters during the last few months. Now that we have moved into our new shop it's looking very empty apart from my beloved mid-century desk and iMac.

What am I looking forward to:I'm looking forward to watching our business grow and diversifying our range. I also can't wait to explore more of New Zealand with my family. My husband is British and my kids were born in Australia so they haven't seen much of our beautiful country. 

MintSix styling work.



Photographs are used with permission from MintSix.

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Inspiration Profile - Claire Ongley

Here we are at the end of another week and I have another great Inspiration Profile for you. Say hello to Claire Ongley from Izzy and Jean Co. Enjoy!

Claire Ongley

Avarcas Pons sandals are the newest addition to the Izzy and Jean Co. range. They are handmade in Menorca, Spain.

Name: Claire Ongley

What do you do: I run an online store called Izzy and Jean Co. We sell fine home goods and accessories from around the world. All our goods are either handmade or produced by small designers or long-established family businesses. I believe that the story behind a thing is just as interesting as the thing itself.

We opened in June of this year, so it’s still all very new to me. There’s lots to learn, but it’s great fun to do something completely different.

Where do you live: I currently live in Oakura, just outside of New Plymouth. However, my partner Daniel and I are moving to a farm near Otaki where we plan to farm pigs (free range of course!). We will have 80 acres and no farming experience. It’s definitely going to be a big challenge, and we can’t wait.

What are you working on: Izzy and Jean Co. has only been running for four months, so I feel like I’m still really getting things organised and running smoothly. At the moment I’m working on restocking and ordering for summer and Christmas. Sourcing stock is a very time consuming exercise! However, we have some lovely new things coming in, which I’m very excited about.

In fact, I have just finished loading up our new Avarcas Pons sandals onto the website. They are handmade in Menorca, Spain. Take a look, they are very simple and stylish, and also just in time for summer!

We’re also working on moving to the farm. There’s lots to organise, and once we get there we will never have a moment to be bored. On top of that, we just got engaged, so we now have to plan a wedding!

Hedgehog table brush made by Redecker, a family-run business in Germany that has been handcrafting brushes since 1935.

Polka dot socks from Etiquette Clothiers in New York

Flowers: Peonies, roses, lavender and hydrangeas spring to mind. They are all quite old-fashioned, now that I think about it.

Food:  When I’m asked this question I usually say Mexican food. I love anything with fresh fish, hot chillies and lots of coriander.  Having said that, I like all sorts of food and there is nothing I won’t try. But maybe that just means I’m a bit greedy.

Style: It tends to change, but in terms of decor I would say I’m currently a fan of Scandinavian simplicity with a pop of colour and texture in the form of rustic, vintage or ethnic furniture and accessories.

Handwoven pink striped throw from Tunisia

Hand loomed fouta towels from Tunisia.

Who/what inspires me: I’m inspired by people who successfully run their own creative businesses. I want to be one of them! There are so many inspiring people around who love what they do, and they help me keep believing that I can do it too.

I work best: First thing in the morning and last thing at night. In the afternoons my mind tends to wander and I make endless cups of tea and write lists, but not a lot gets done.

What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: Go for a run, wile away some time on Pinterest, read a blog, or go and do anything that is totally unrelated to work.

The best advice I have been given is: Don’t worry about making things perfect, just get it out there and figure things out as you go.

My latest discovery is: Fiji! We just went there to escape the winter blues and it was divine. The people are gorgeous, the ocean is warm and the cocktails have umbrellas in them. What more could you want?

Striped linen cushion covers made by a family-run business in Lithuania

Handwoven vintage 'Rose' kilim rug from Turkey

Books that I get inspiration from: ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ by Stephen Covey is a book that I picked up in a secondhand shop about a year ago. It is really inspiring and practical, and it helped me put my Izzy and Jean Co. plans into gear.

Magazines that inspire me: Inside Out, Vogue Living, Your Home & Garden, NZ House & Garden, Homestyle

Blogs that I enjoy: The Design Chaser, Made From Scratch, Milo & Mitsy, re: Address, The Design Files, Kara Rosenlund.

My favourite room at home is: Our house is a temporary one, so it’s not really a home. We moved back from Sydney earlier this year, so once we move into our own house, then I’m sure I will have one or two favourite rooms. I can’t wait to put my stamp on them!

My office is: I used to work in the sleep out, but I have recently swapped offices with my partner, so now I’m inside. My little office gets lots of afternoon sun and I can gaze out at our back garden and dream up new ideas for Izzy and Jean Co. (or just procrastinate).

What am I looking forward to: Moving into our new house on the farm! Getting married! There’s a lot to look forward to right now.

You can keep up to date with Izzy and Jean Co on their online store, their Facebook page, Twitter or their Pinterest boards.

Photographs used with permission from Claire Ongley and Izzy and Jean Co.

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Father Rabbit has a Guest

Indeed what is going on at Father Rabbit's house?
I had a surprise package arrive this afternoon from Father Rabbit, who is telling everyone about his new friend that is staying in his guest house - please meet Hello My Tropical Princess Bird Friend. While Father Rabbit has a love for white and monochromatic interiors, My Tropical Princess Bird Friend is the total opposite bringing with her a riot of colour - have a look here at the 'guest house' store.
Many thanks for the package, Father Rabbit - it is well timed as I am at the end (hopefully) of a persistent virus and this has perked me up no end. Meanwhile the rest of you - go and check out the gorgeous world of colour from Tropical Princess Bird Friend, I think you will like it.

Photographs by Charlotte Minty.

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Inspiration Profile - Natalie Sorensen

Hello all - here we are again at the end of another week.
Enjoy this week's Inspiration Profile - her name is Natalie Sorensen and she is a super busy Wellingtonian who runs an online store alongside her full time job. Phew! Check her out.

Natalie Sorensen of LET LIV. Love the striped rug on the right? Yep, it's available from LET LIV.

Name: Natalie Sorensen

What do you do: I am the Director of almost everything at LET LIV. We opened our virtual doors in August 2012 however I had been working on the LET LIV concept for some time.. some would say my whole life!

Where do you live: Wellington, New Zealand! The city which I love and will always feel like home no matter where in the world I go.

What are you working on: We have some big plans for 2013 and beyond with LET LIV, I am never working on just one thing at a time. At the moment though we are about to launch the first item in a range of LET LIV textiles… shh!

LET LIV Moroccan Leather Pouf - Fuschia

Who/what inspires me: I think, like all creative people, I go through stages of being inspired and also stages of being inspired by certain people. Eras and figures of the past are definitely things I look to to be inspired, however we also have a whole new way of being inspired with things like blogs, tumblr's & my guilty pleasure, Pinterest. In terms of LET LIV in general, my Scandinavian heritage has definitely inspired the concept, the product range & how I view living.

I work best: Unfortunately for my early bird partner I work best at night but I am trying to sleep more and work best!

What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: Have a glass of wine & a chat with my partner,  or my guilty pleasure; browsing through Pinterest. I also find that I can be struck by inspiration anywhere so I always make sure I make a note of it, often in my phone.

The best advice I have been given is: Follow your heart – it is advice that works in all aspects of life I have found.

My latest discovery is:I discover something new that I love / want / need or all three every day almost so this is a hard one for me. I would say that our new cowhide pouches by Mooi are one of my latest discoveries. Vashti from Mooi is one lovely lady and it was so nice to meet someone who is doing something similar to me and being able to work our businesses together. (Watch this space).

Brown and White Cowhide Pouch

Books that I get inspiration from: Biographies are the books I enjoy most, especially ones about people in the past I just find that fascinating & inspiring. At the moment however, I am reading GRACE by Grace Coddington.

Magazines that inspire me: I am a magazine addict, it used to be fashion magazines, however now you can imagine I am addicted to interiors mags. I am the sort of magazine reader that is a flicker though so the more visual ones appeal to me more as an instant gratification thing.  Can’t walk past a new NZ Fashion Quarterly, Homestyle, Your Home & Garden or NZ HOME mag.

Blogs that I enjoy: There are far too many to list & not look insane! On my daily browse list though are; Charlotte Minty (thanks!), The Design Files, Made from Scratch, My Scandinavian Home, Fancy, Studio Home, Miss Moss, The Design Chaser, Yellowtrace, Milo & Mitzy, Design Lovefest and the infamous Emmas Design blog. (That’s just for my first coffee of the day).

My favourite room at home is: We have a living room which flows onto a dining area, kitchen and deck, it just feels so open and comfy. It is just a classic palette of white & washed wood and we have filled it with many an op shop find and of course tonnes of LET LIV!

My office is: Anywhere my laptop is, actually, anywhere I am. One thing that is key in what I do is being inspired and fortunately this can happen at any time, any where!

What am I looking forward to: Ticking some goals off my LET LIV Goal List,  being able to keep on doing what I love and whatever else life will bring this year & beyond!

Quick - go and check out LET LIV here. Or you can keep up to date with Natalie on the LET LIV FB page, or on Twitter, or even on Instagram and Pinterest - you'll never miss out!

LET LIV 100% Cotton Tassel Scarf in Donkey Grey

All photographs are used with permission from Natalie Sorensen and LET LIV.

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Minty & Co is Opening Soon!

Like the look of these cushions and the grey drawers that they're sitting on? They are for sale! That's right, Minty & Co, the online boutique is opening soon. Don't worry, we are just working on the finer details right now and I'll keep you posted when we go live. See you soon!

Update: I now have a FB page for Minty & Co. Here it is - like it and you'll know when we go live, new products that arrive and any other developments that happen at Minty & Co. Thanks in advance for your support.
Photograph by Charlotte Minty.

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Monogrammed Hankerchiefs - Coming Soon

Do you like the look of these monogrammed hankerchiefs? I've had some samples done as I intend to sell these on the Charlotte Minty online store, which is coming your way soon! There will be all kinds of colourful hankies with colourful monograms - you'll be able to choose what colour you like and which initials you want. I like these mini-Burberry check hankies above which come in the three colours. I'll keep you posted when the online store opens and what else will be available.
Photograph by Charlotte Minty.

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