<![CDATA[Makin’ Noise]]> Fri, 29 Mar 2024 05:01:21 +0000 hourly 1 <![CDATA[The Rule Breakers]]> Sun, 01 Feb 2015 12:00:00 +0000 Feather and Noise Here at Feather & Noise we love Makin' Noise about savy small businesses we discover and love!  Let us introduce you to Carmel from The Rule Breakers...

Carmel is a mum to two gorgeous boys and a fur baby named Ryder which keeps her busy, but amongst all of this she decided 'Hey, why not start my own business?!'

The Rule Breakers was created with Carmel's passion for design and styling, and inspired by beautiful photography featuring babies reaching their significant milestones.  Carmel lovingly designed the Baby Milestone Cards for the mummy watching her bub growing and changing before her eyes, absorbing the special moments, and gives her a simple and stylish way to record these memories.

In a world of babies achievements being shared on instagram and blogs, Milestone Baby Cards are a modern and savvy gift for any expectant mother.  The twenty four card designs feature on-trend monochrome graphics with a splash of colour which are perfect for all children.  There are eight key development cards which are gorgeous designs but also allow you to document your babies age and date.  Three beautiful imagery cards for styling in the home or nursery are also included.  The Baby Milestone Cards are beautifully presented in protective case keeping your memories safe for years to come.

Carmel's other great passion is interior design.  She enjoyed working for Sportsgirl and SEED in senior management positions over the years but always loved watching the visual merchandisers create.  Carmel told us her only career regret is that she should've studied visual merchandising!  This hasn't deterred her love of styling interior and in three short years Carmel and her husband have completed a full renovation of their two storey Victorian terrace in Melbourne!  Her son's nursery was featured on Little One Baby's blog and recently they were lucky enough to have their home feature in Homes+ Magazine.  All of these little achievements have lead Carmel to the path of design.

And now a word from Carmel...  'It was an absolute pleasure to open our home to Feather & Noise and Little Light Studios.  I've known Alison for over fifteen years now and our paths have crossed on a number of occasions in life culminating in this fun little venture together.  She's always had an eye for detail in pulling together a fashion range whether it be selecting a timeless pattern, spotting an on trend colour or just getting those textures right in fabrics.'

Ps. We're excited to announce that Carmel's beautiful Baby Milestone Cards will be available through Feather & Noise soon - stay tuned!

Fashion: Feather & Noise
Photography: Little Light Studios
Baby Milestone Cards: The Rule Breakers

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<![CDATA[The Digital Picnic]]> Wed, 13 May 2015 13:00:00 +0000 Feather and Noise Here at Feather & Noise we love Makin' Noise about savy small businesses we discover and love! We are so excited to collaborate with Cat and Cherie from The Digital Picnic for our very first Makin' Noise feature!

Cat and Cherie met online and fast became friends over their shared love of all things social media and digital marketing! It wasn't long before The Digital Picnic was born as they wanted to share their vast knowledge with YOU, giving you the tools to navigate and manage your own digital media and marketing.

And now it's over to Cherie...

"When Ali asked Cat and I to join her for a feature shoot showcasing her ‘February Collection’, I almost died laughing. Like, dead. Kaput. Done for. Models? Cat, definitely! She has the cheekbones, the collarbones, and the best bangs in the biz! Me? Well, let’s just say my second pregnancy has left me decidedly “festively plump”. And so I thought about this for roughly 34 seconds, & then I said, “sure! Why not!”. Why? Well, because I just decided that perhaps F&N customers might actually enjoy seeing a little bit o’ “festive plump” in their ‘February Collection’. Because for so many of us, that is our reality, & I am learning to be comfortable with my festively plump physique.

And so that was that. Cat and I signed ourselves up for our “pretend model” life.

And what a day-in-the-life-of we did indeed end up having! The set? Only the most beautiful home I think I’ve ever laid my eyes on. The styling? Be still my beating heart. The clothes? As if we’d picked them out ourselves. The drinks? Pimms. So basically, … one of my faves! The food? Beyond words. The photographer? The actual best dry wit I’ve come across since my sister left Australia for Scotland four years ago (actually, it made me miss her immensely). And Ali? Actual kindest human being!

We’re thrilled with the photos! The clothes! The colours! The styling! And we just know you’ll love the clothes as much as we loved wearing them.

… I still can’t believe Ali got me into a playsuit!"

Cherie x

www.thedigitalpicnic.com.au

You can also follow this Makin' Noise feature on social media!
#catandcherie

Fashion: Feather & Noise
Photography: Little Light Studios
Beauty: Laguna Tan & Make-up
Catering: Claire's Kitchen
Flowers: Little Twig Flowers

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<![CDATA[Zee plus three]]> Fri, 09 Oct 2015 12:00:00 +0000 Feather and Noise Here at Feather & Noise we love Makin' Noise about inspiring women we discover and love!  Let us introduce you to Emily aka Zee + Three...

Emily is a mother of 4 children, a 2 year old (Zee) and newborn triplets!  She writes about her experiences as a mother on her popular blog Zee + Three, she also shares her love of health, fashion and photography there as well.  If that wasn't enough Emily also started her own business Sourcey Marketing 2 years ago after working in advertising, publishing and marketing for 12 years.

Have you been able to get out socially much yet? If so, how have you managed to make it out the door?
I haven't been out much socially as I'm breast feeding, there's only a small window of opportunity between feeds!  I did sneak out to the Wonderful Mama launch party a few weeks ago for a couple of hours and a cheeky glass of champagne!  It was great getting dressed up but I was straight back into my sweats as soon as I walked in the door!

Do you have a couple favourite go-to looks / pieces that help getting ready in the morning that little bit easier?
My fave go-to pieces are skinny leg black jeans and a light knit (mostly in grey)!  It's all about comfort these days, running around after 4 kids!  Everything in my wardrobe is white, grey or black...  Oh, and how can I forget my beloved blue denim...

What are your top 3 beauty tips to help you get out the door in a hurry?
Top beauty tips are to put a bit of fake tan on my face the night before so I don't need to use too much concealer, foundation and bronzer!  I'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to make-up..  I just make sure I curl my lashes, put on mascara and lip balm and head out the door!

We watched your beautiful Hubby bring in three capsules from the car, along with your 2 year old Zee; please tell us about your car situation?
We currently have a 7-seater SUV but it's not big enough. We can't take the four kids plus the pram as it physically won't fit.  Not to mention our poor fur baby River (the Golden Retriever)!  We're currently looking at the Mercedes Van so we can comfortably fit all our babies and their accessories so we can all leave the house together and get away to the beach house at some point!  I never thought I'd be driving a people mover!

With 9 months to decide how did you come up with your triplets names?
How did we decide on names?  With a LOT of difficulty!  Rob loves very traditional names, and I like modern, so we had to find a bit of a mix!  Middle names were easier, each of the babies have their granparents middle names (except Daniel, who got his Robert after his daddy!)!

Can you describe what the triplets personalities are like?
Daniel... Calm & Gentle
Taylor... The quiet achiever
Summer... Miss bossy britches

You must be absolutely thrilled to have a girl in the mix between a house full of boys?
Oh yes, so happy to have a girl in the mix in a house full of men!  At least I'll have someone to go shopping with!  We all know how much guys love to shop.

Fashion: Feather & Noise
Photography: Little Light Studios

www.zeeplusthree.com

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<![CDATA[Project You + Me]]> Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:00:00 +0000 Feather and Noise Here at Feather & Noise we love Makin' Noise about inspiring women we discover and love! Let us introduce you to Ina from Project You + Me...

Project You + Me is a lifestyle brand featuring bespoke products for the modern mama and her bebe which are all carefully handpicked and curated by creative director Ina. This Makin Noise feature is about her bundles of awesomeness recently launched as Project You + Me! For You, For Me + For Us..

For Ina and Project You + Me, motherhood is a journey where ‘you’ + ‘me’ become ‘us’. Ina is pretty adamant that all three components, in and of themselves, are cause for celebration. Project You + Me have partnered with some incredible brands to curate bundles of awesomeness. Spoil your loved one or yourself and celebrate!

Project You + Me currently offer three wonderful bundles focussed around something for either ‘you’, ‘me’ or ‘us’. Personally I fell in love with the large bundle FOR US and purchased this for one of my best friends who recently had her 4th daughter, yep 4 girls in 6 years! Go Mumma! I just knew that this would be the box that would keep on giving. From the Modern Burlap muslin swaddle to the popular Kippins comforter, and the first thing my beautiful friend mentioned to me was … ’THAT CANDLE’ in the bundle smells incredible!’ Yep the Love Ludie Custom Candle was exactly what this new mama needed to burn to create a moment of calm amongst the craziness of bringing home a new born.

Oh and how can I possibly forget the excitement when I spotted The Rule Breakers ‘Milestone Cards’! YEP that’s right our previous Makin’ Noise guest Carmel’s talented and personally designed Milestone Cards were just another brilliant addition to these beautiful bundles of goodness!

So with all the talent and style Ina presented we just knew we had to feature this savvy and smart #girlboss STAT! Nothing like preparing for a feature shoot two weeks before Christmas and in the peak of our Chrissy trade... However we had all of our amazing team on board from talented photographer Clare Lapworth, to makeup artist Claire Denman, to Jess Dean and myself styling the shoot, plus Casey Clarke for welcomed us into her home. And not just any home, Casey's beautiful family and light filled home in Yarraville @insidenumber25 is now open and welcoming photoshoots. Congrats Casey! We were thrilled to create Ina's portraits here and support another wonderful woman launching her new business.

Ina’s charming and delightful little man Luka joined us for the shoot and we had blast with loads of laughs and outfit changes. Hearing so many of Ina’s exciting plans for Project You + Me we knew this is going to be one rad and inspiring lady to watch out for!

Project You + Me provides a platform where community comes to life and Ina is excited to create one-off collaborations with some pretty awesome small businesses and the powerhouse women behind them. "We are passionate about impacting change. This will come in many forms, through organic partnerships and collaborations with social enterprises. In the words of someone much wiser, we must be the change we want to see. Not just for us but for them.”

Congratulations Ina on the launch of your business and we know there are going to be so many wonderful women feeling so loved when they receive any of your bundles of awesomeness! You can SHOP Project You + Me at www.projectyouandme.com.au and follow Ina's inspiring and exciting journey at @project_youandme

Fashion: Feather & Noise
Photography: Little Light Studios
Make up: Claire Denman
Styliing: Alison and Jess
Location: Inside Number 25

www.projectyouandme.com.au

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<![CDATA[Love Little Big]]> Thu, 21 Jul 2016 13:53:00 +0000 Feather and Noise Here at Feather & Noise we love Makin' Noise about inspiring women we discover and love! Let us introduce you to Kylie & Celeste from Love Little Big!

How did you both meet?

We met at the football nearly 15 years ago (how time FLIES). Kylie was watching boyfriend and now husband Josh Fraser play for Collingwood.

 How old are your children? 

Ted is 6, Emmy is just over 2.5 & Estelle is almost 2.5.

 What made you decide to create Love Little Big blog?

We created LOVE LITTLE BIG in 2013, starting out on Instagram and a year later launching our blog platform. Both Kylie and I worked in fashion (in PR and product development), so it felt like a natural and  tots in tow). It has also been fun to start capturing fashion that we love and wear everyday. There has been more & more interest in what MAMA’s are wearing.

 What do you enjoy most about Motherhood?

Kylie - I always wanted to be a Mum. I am one of those people who are obsessed with babies! I love watching their personalities change as they grow and I get so excited when they achieve something new!

Celeste - The unconditional love and the bond that develops between you and your babe. Estelle is only 2.5 but we can just flash each other a look and I feel like we totally get each other.

 What would you say is the most challenging aspect of your Mothering journey? 

Kylie - Moving away from my family and friends, I first moved to the Gold Coast (from Melbourne) when Ted turned 1. I found it extremely hard & lonely at times, (my husband was working alot). I missed the constant help I had in Melbourne from my mum, sister, Nan & aunty.

Celeste – The unexpected I guess. When you have a baby you do everything in your power to ensure they are healthy and happy. Sometimes things happen that are out of your control and its how you deal with these situations that defines you. One of my favourite quotes “You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf.”

 You’ve been friends for over 13 years, what’s kept the friendship going so strong for so long?

We have lots in common and just get each other! Oh and we have a very similar sense of humour! At times laughing so much at each other’s jokes, that we are in absolute stitches, with tears running down our faces, almost unable to breathe with our husbands wondering what was so funny?!

Where do you see yourselves 5 years from now?

Still doing what we love most – collaborating with brands, styling, shooting and creating cool content for kids and mamas.

Fashion: Feather & Noise
Photography: Little Light Studios
Make up: Claire Denman
Styling:  Jess Lee & Anna Mac

 https://www.lovelittlebig.com

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<![CDATA[Miss Kyree Loves]]> Thu, 08 Sep 2016 13:00:00 +0000 Feather and Noise Here at Feather & Noise we love Makin' Noise about inspiring women we discover and love! Let us introduce you to Kyree  from Miss Kyree Loves!

How long have you been beautifully working away on your @misskyreeloves forever growing IG feed & blog following? 

I’ve been on Instagram for three years now but only created Miss Kyree Loves about 18 months ago. It’s been such a roller coaster of a ride getting to where I am today with my little biz. So much hard work, instagram hours and energy has been pumped into creating my brand but I love every minute of it and wouldn’t have it any other way.

As you just celebrated your massive 100K milestone over on Insty, do you still remember celebrating milestones like 1k or 10k & ever wondering what it would take to hit the big 100K?

It’s so strange to think I’m now sitting at 100k followers and all reached organically and honestly. I remember when I hit 1000 followers, jumping around screaming like a little school girl- It was such an adrenaline rush. Now, experiencing hitting such a huge milestone is the most surreal feeling. I still can’t believe that many people love what I do and want to follow my journey. I just hope I can keep entertaining, keep inspiring and keep being “real”.

What do you love most about working from home now?

Is it too honest if I admit to the sleeping in? ahahaha No in all honesty I love being able to get up early, eat my breaky at my computer and get on with my day at my own pace. It’s funny how even though I’m no longer working in an office under the instructions by a “boss”, I still find that I’m knuckling down and working just as hard (if not harder!!!). I usually find that I’m flat out busy working, responding to emails, taking photos of products, re styling for images throughout the week and then when my husband is home (he works FIFO) I get to be more flexible and not work as much. I love that I get to decide what needs to be done when it suits me, it allows me to focus on family time when it means the most. It also means that when this little bean baby of ours comes along in the new year, that I’ll be able to work around his/her routine. I don’t have this constant pressure on me to get things done within a crappy timeframe, that I’m not passionate about. I love what I’m doing now so I don’t mind spending 12 hours in my study working at a time.

What has been your favourite room in your house to style? (or is that a silly question after seeing the release of your little babes room recently?) ;)

Ahahaha yes the nursery at the moment. All though in saying that, each room means a lot to me so overtime I style a section of my home, I always stand back and think “wow that looks amazing I’m so lucky!”. Every time I style my bedroom I think it’s my favourite because the light that streams through is just incredible. But then when I look at my newly updated living area i think “nope, this HAS to be my favourite space” ahahaha.

Has there ever been one room that you just continued to keep changing, or do you always get it right?

I’m always changing my lounge room. But for the last 18 months I’ve only ever changed the throw cushions or the artwork on the wall. I’ve found this was the most affordable and realistic way to update the space and to stay on trend. BUT just recently I needed a new look all together as I was getting bored with how it looked. So I bought a new lush rug and divine leather arm chair from Freedom Australia and it’s completely changed the look. I’m in love with this new fresh space, I feel like I’m now living in a new home.

What’s the best thing about working with interiors, fashion & children’s wear?

I love how this industry is forever changing. As soon as something is on trend, then something else even more stunning takes over. To some people this constant changing of style and keeping up with the Jones’s as such can be exhausting and overwhelming. But I love this challenge because it forces me to stay unique, to remain stylish but through the use of my OWN tastes and flare (instead of solely relying on one particular theme and look).

And what’s the worst thing?

The worst thing is keeping one step ahead of copy cats. When I first started out in my business, I would take it to heart that people were flat out copying my style, my flair and even my exact wording in things. But now as I’ve grown and learnt a lot about who I am and where I want to be with MKL- I’ve learnt that copying is a form of flattery and it now only encourages me to keep on working hard and trying new and better things. At the end of the day I’m a stylist so it’s my job to entice and influence people to love similar things as I do, so I can’t be disheartened when people want that exact same look as I have. It’s actually really amazing that people love my style as much as they do.

Who would you most love to invite over for dinner?

I would LOVE to invite over all my instagram friends!!! A giant bbq out the back of my home with everyone I’ve formed close relationships with over the years. I hardly ever make it to Insta-meets due to my busy schedule but it’s a dream of mine to meet everyone and have a good laugh over speaking to them in person. We all spend so much time on this little social media app, forming such personal friendships that I couldn’t live without, yet we still have never spoken face to face (such a strange concept to most).

If you had a day off from styling or shooting product what would you do and how would you spend it?

This usually occurs when hubby is home and we always go out for lunch at least one day when he’s back. We aren’t the “cafe lifestyle” couple we rarely venture out from our home, but at least once we will always go for coffee or lunch at a nice little place and spend some quality time together. Other wise we prefer to stay home, potter around, have a home cooked meal and watch Netflix ahaha

Are you a jeans, dresses or trackies kind of girl?

I’m a jeans girl in winter and a dresses girl in summer. I can’t wait for this coming summer - I’ll have a new babe in tow and I’ll be able to wear gorgeous flowy dresses that are easy to feed in.

Ok, we have to ask what is your fave ever F+N style? Or has there been too many! ;)

The Tash jeans in all colours are a winner for me. I LIVED in my white Tash jeans, even over summer. But as my bump grew I haven’t been able to wear them as much. I need to get myself one of those bump expander things so i can still wear normal jeans ahahah

 

If you could describe your emotions your must be feeling for your bubs arrival in three words, what are the words?

Absolutely Smitten Inlove!!!! We tried for this baby for what seemed like a lifetime to us so the emotions are running wild. I just can’t wait to hold bub and kiss him or her all over and thank him/her for choosing us!!!!

What’s the best and worst thing about living in WA?

Postage takes FORVERRR ahahaha Seriously, what’s with Aus post and taking their sweet ass time to get things over to me! No seriously, I love WA. I’ve travelled to a lot of places around the world and still LOVE coming home to Perth. Even though we appear to be “behind” in most things, I still love where we are.

What can we expect to see from you next year? Apart from beautiful baby pics, because we are all dying to see bubs!

I really envision MKL taking on a new path next year as my focus shifts more to everything baby related. The concept behind MKL has always been about following my every day life and keeping it as realistic as possible. I plan to write more on my blog, open more discussions about topics that people can relate to and to showcase a lot more mamma fashion that appeals to me. So when baby comes expect baby spam galore #notsorry.

And finally how was your experience shooting with F+N, meeting the team & playing dress up’s on a sunny Sunday?

I LOVED THIS SHOOT!!! The girls at F&N are just incredibly amazingly stunning!!! So much fun, so bright and adorable, they just have the best personalities and really made me grateful to be able to work with you all. As you know i’ve always been passionate about supporting local brands so F&N has been a really inspiring project of mine. Watching you and being able to showcase your amazing styles from when you first opened to NOW (taking over the world by storm). Love F&N and can’t wait to see what you have in store next for all of us xox

Fashion: Feather & Noise

Photography: Little Light Studios

Make up: Claire Denman

Styling:  Jess Lee & Alison Long  

 www.misskyreeloves.com

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<![CDATA[Min. Studio]]> Sat, 25 Mar 2017 12:00:00 +0000 Feather and Noise Here at Feather & Noise we love Makin’ Noise with inspiring women we discover & love! Let us introduce you to Teneile & her two Staffy's Gracie & Eddy from Min. Studio in Yarraville. An inspiring salon located in a space that has a focus on hair, movement & mind. 

Who lives here at Min.Studio? 

A little bunch of likeminded people who love all things hair, movement and mind, plus good chats and a laugh with our clients. 

What's your fave spot in your space? 

The silky soft velvet couch under our old art deco arch window - such a beautiful spot to sit in the morning sunshine and enjoy a good coffee.

How scary was it to take the plunge & go out on your to begin Min. Studio? 

SO SCARY! But so exciting. It all happened so quickly I didn’t have a lot of time to think about it. Everyday there are so many things to learn, it just keeps getting better and better.

Now I've heard there's more to Min. than just being a salon right? 

Yes! The 'Min. Compass' takes us in lots of directions across hair, movement and mind. We have a couple of extremely talented movement gals who run both mat pilates and yoga classes weekly. Min. Mind covers our educational and self-appreciation workshops and retreats. So we use the space in different ways to maximise on what we can bring together for our clients - things they need, want and enjoy. 

What's your top 3 styling tips on three of our very favourite topics? 
1, hair? 

- Embrace your natural hair type and find the cut and style that works for you, we don't believe in over styling.

- The right products make all of the difference with not only your hairs condition but also how easy your hair can become when you style it.

- Hot styling fact : Did you know that your hair dryer cause more harm to your hair than your irons? The average hair dryer heats up to between 250 to 300 degrees celsius, where as your irons are most likely to be 180 to 220 degrees.


2, Interiors? 

- Trust your gut, add some green.

- Make a mood board

- Do your research on the expensive stuff, you may be surprised what you can find that is slightly cheaper but still great quality.

 

3, fashion? 

- Never be afraid to dress individually, thats the beauty in you.

- Always splurge on a good pair of jeans that fit right.

- Invest in good basics.

Your Staffy's stole the show at our recent shoot? What's it like to have Gracie + Eddy around daily in your salon? 

99% amazing 1% a nightmare hahaha. They bring such a beautiful energy to the space and never fail to make everyone smile.

 

Fixtures, fittings, furniture & interiors! You've certainly nailed your incredible space. What are your top 3 most treasured pieces? 

Wow! Thankyou so much! We love our gorgeous Pop and Scott dreamer couch. The Raj coffee table from Curious Grace was a must have and we couldn’t live without our greenery and our green man Blake who comes in weekly to give our plants a bit of extra love.

What do you splurge on? 

French champagne and shoes.

What do you save on? 

I save by buying good quality timeless pieces that last a lifetime.

What's you FAVE hair hack?

I couldn’t live without my Mr Smith dry shampoo, it gets me through my busy weeks. 

What's your general work outfit consist of? 

My go to work outfit is always a good pair of jeans & now i have the black 'Tash jeans' from F+N I'm all sorted! Or flares and a simple tee. I might add a sparkle here and there, especially if I am heading out after work.

Where do you find your hair inspiration from? 

I’m inspired by the Parisians because their hair always looks so effortless. And flipping through the pages of a beautiful magazine. 
What book are you or would you like to read? 

I would love to read, “ The universe has got your back”.


How would you describe your personal style? 

I’m a mixture of basic with a touch of sparkle and little bit of ‘flare’. 


What can't you live without? 

My puppies, wine and cheese.

Any F+N purchases you've got your eye on? 

I adore the Miller Biker jacket! It's a must have! Also the beautiful khaki knit that I wore layered over the black midi dress in the shoot.

What look from our Min. Studio shoot did you die over the most? 

I fell in love with the simple black ripped jeans with the grey coat layered over the top


And finally can we please come back? 

We would absolutley love to have you back in our space anytime.

  

Fashion: Feather & Noise

Photography: Katie Fergus 

Styling:  Jess Lee 

www.minstudio.com.au

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<![CDATA[Take Me Home]]> Wed, 21 Jun 2017 13:00:00 +0000 Feather and Noise Here at Feather & Noise we love Makin’ Noise with inspiring women we discover & love! Let us introduce you to our beloved Anna Mac, an Inspiring women who personally managed the renovation of her dream home with her 3 month old baby Otis and two year old boy Stanley. We got a sneak peak into the finished home and OH MY it's beautiful! 

We fell in love with your newly renovated house, now please tell us the role you played in renovating your beautiful home? Because we know you had only ‘just’ had Otis your second baby boy!

Yes, I was a little crazy and thought that I could renovate and personally project manage the build, add in a 3 month old baby as well as a 2 ½ year old, it was a crazy ride, alright. To add to it all we ended up moving 5 times throughout the process. Most days I would turn up with Otis attached to me in the Baby Bjorn, after an hour of site inspection Otis would generally fall asleep (facing outwards) and now my toddler wants to grow up to be a tradie. But there were times that after no sleep I would rather not be making micro decisions like “how big I wanted my skirting boards”.

I don’t think there is ever a good time to renovate, but we all survived and now we have a beautiful home.

What is your favourite space / room in your home? 

The outdoor deck by far, with the bi fold doors open in summer we eat all our meals out there. I love cozying up in my hanging chair, with a coffee (or wine), it’s where I can sit and watch the kids play. When possible it’s my little chill out spot, where I can just sit & read a magazine (which is rare).

Top 3 tips to share with other Mums taking on such a huge renovation? 

Don’t do it! No only kidding. (1) Don’t get overwhelmed by all the decisions you need to make, you can stretch a lot of them over time, concentrate on one room, one decision at a time and make them as you go. (2) If you have to move out like us, I would recommend relocating close by, as you need to be on site as much as possible, popping in regularly to keep an eye on things to make sure everything is going to plan, and obviously everyday towards the end. (3) If its possible move back in when everything is finished, it’s no fun with builders working around you when you have little kids running around or seeing them bright and early first thing, boobs out breast feeding - oh the fun times …

Now let’s fashion! We are dying to know what your number one look from our recent ‘TAKE ME HOME’ edit is? 

The Marley Pinstripe dress for sure, it has everything from bows, pinstripes to oversized cuffs, all perfect to create a modern feminie look. Worn with boots it has become my go to dress for heading out for the weekend.

If there is one piece from the collection that you suggest all busy women need what would it be? 

A hard one, I love them all, but I am personally living in the Georgie oversized bomber jacket, as it’s great to layer over knits or a basic tee and with your favourite denim. Or I wear it tied around my waist over winter dresses. Bomber Jackets are (still) a must have staple this season.

Now your hair and makeup always looks amazing girlfriend! How do you fit it all in & what tips do you have in the beauty area to help us boot out the door looking at least half together? 

To get photo-shoot hair and makeup ready, I always go to the girls at Elliott Steele Hair, I am into soft waves more so than curls a.t.m.

Eyelash extensions are my biggest beauty tip, they are my saviour for when the bubs keep you up all night. Who doesn’t like help hiding tired looking eyes, and it eliminates stuffing around with mascara in the morning.

Also I am obsessed with dry Shampoo, it gives my hair body, and it helps to get a few days out of my waves, I am currently using the brand Klorane.


Coffee or Tea? 

I used to be one of those rare people who didn’t like coffee, and drank only chai tea, but somewhere amongst 2 children and a renovation I am converted, dreaming about my morning coffee through the night (actually had my first real coffee with Ali, at a playdate.

Red or white wine? 

Red Wine all the way – I am a Pinot Noir girl, through and through. I am really loving the organic and preservative free, Temple Bruer Pinot Noir. I order it online, gets delivered to my door, even better.

Favourite family weekend getaway location? 

We just escaped for a weekend to Phillip Island, so much to do with the kids, from the penguin parade, the Heritage Farm, a Chocolate Factory, cool cafes and beautiful beaches and rock pools to explore.

What about when you guys have more than just a weekend spare, what would be your ultimate holiday destination?

We are currently planning a trip for later in the year to Fiji, after the busy year we have had we need a resort style relaxing holiday. With young kids it’s all about making it as easy as you can, so that it feels relaxing. The people are so friendly and they love children. We want warm weather, kids club, pools, beaches and cocktails.

What message do you have for women out there in today’s busy world? 

I am a big believer in needing some quality ‘Me Time’ amongst the craziness, to every now and then recharge and feel good. Whether it’s a facial, drinks out with the girls, a relaxing bath, or getting my eyebrows waxed. It’s important to find time for ourselves.

What is your most favourite thing about being part of Feather & Noise’s family over all these years? 

Man we have had some great laughs over the years, probably the late night product photo-shoots, (in the very early days) with dark chocolate and wine behind the camera, and me trying to keep a straight face while Ali and Clare tell some crazy stories.

I am so proud to be a part of the F&N family, and feel so lucky to be featured in the recent ‘Take Me Home’ edit. Ali and the girls are the most beautiful, friendly bunch and of course getting an early look at the new styles before they are released over the years doesn’t hurt either.

… and can we please come over for a cup of tea again soon? 

Please come over for some tea, or even a Pinot Noir session soon.

Fashion: Feather & Noise

Photography: Katie Fergus 

Model & Make up: Elliott Steele Hair 

www.annamac.com.au

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<![CDATA[It's a monochrome life]]> Fri, 01 Sep 2017 13:00:00 +0000 Feather and Noise The gorgeous girls from It's a monochrome life interviewed our amazing founder Ali, to find out all about how our wonderful brand came to be. 

 

 

Tell us a little about Feather and Noise, how did it all begin?

FEATHER & NOISE was born in early 2013, however the idea had been brewing for many years before.  With more than 13 years of experience in retail as a Visual Merchandiser, Ladies-wear Buyer and Senior Sales Rep.  I decided it was time to gather up all my years of passion, experience, dedication and extensive knowledge of fashion, and bring my beloved drive for selling and styling to a wider range of other like-minded people.  After my official first year out of the Fashion Industry with a new job description as a ‘Stay at Home Mum’ and with maternity leave quickly coming to an end, it was time to make F&N a reality and bring some of the most stylish and affordable trends to the market place. I just wanted an outlet to style, share and sell all the gorgeous trends that I love to wear.  If I can help make others as happy as I am when I wear an F&N style, then that brings so much joy to me!

So from our tiny lounge room where I worked with a one year old at my feet, and expecting my second (what the HECK was I thinking!) to my daughter’s bedroom where I warehoused stock, to my beloved private Facebook group where people first had to join to shop styles live right there, to SO many endless late nights and long hours slugging it out on a laptop designing and creating our online store, hoping and praying that my followers would continue to shop with me! Then from daily walks to the post office with a baby strapped to me and a toddler in the pusher to now having Australia Post pull up at 3.30pm, five days per week at our vibrant and pumping 5 level Head Quarters!  

Our posts are always a burst of new styles, trends or video’s that we desperately want to share with you, inspiring you to spoil yourself with a little retail therapy.  We love that our customers trust us and come to us for advice and help, and most of all continually return to shop with us.  We work exceptionally hard to ensure we reply to every email, message or phone call and pride ourselves on giving the most passionate customer service and care.

 

How do you go about designing & sourcing your products?

F+N has really reached an exciting position in the market place with almost 80% of our collection now being exclusively designed by us! It’s been hard work & long hours but with a few solid years behind us I know exactly the shapes, styles, prints & fabrics which work, so I constantly draw on previous best sellers; while mixing it up a little by adding a frill, or pleats or taking a favourite floral maxi dress & thinking well if it’s been popular in a dress then we better offer a cute kimono in it too!  While I am busy growing our design team to assist in bringing fresh new looks and plenty of exclusive prints and shapes to our brand, I’m constantly inspired by comfort and practicality by the life I live. I trust my gut instinct so much because I genuinely have been wearing F+N head to toe for almost 5 years now! If you can’t add at least 1-2 layers to any of our pieces then it’s out of the range! Because at F+N we are the layering experts!

 

 

What motivated you to start your styling sessions?

Well the truth is I kept our styling sessions a secret here at F+N for over a year when I first began rolling them out from either my lounge room or my tiny space across the road from where we are located now! We were secretly offering private styling services right there at our humble studio for many of our clients. These sessions had been incredible, and had served as a beautiful reminder as to why we do what we do; to make women feel confident and beautiful in their own skin.  

It wasn’t until we moved into our fresh new digs & had the extra space to create an incredible showroom space, that I just knew we had to open it up to our beloved F&N shoppers.  Our showroom is now a dedicated retail space for you to view our collection by appointment only and try on all of our hand-picked and exceptionally curated pieces. 

I was so excited & extremely NERVOUS about announcing to the public that you can now select a time slot from our appointment calendar for a FREE one hour, one-on-one personal styling session.  I hoped that it would be more than just a personal shopper experience; that every customer would receive personal style advice, expert advice on how to dress for your body shape, and that each individual would be able to feel comfortable knowing that their purchases are practical, easy wearing pieces that will give you a variety of looks you’ve never had before.

The team at F+N are passionate about our unique collections, and we just know that once you step into our showroom & experience an F+N styling session, you will start each day with the right foot forward and most importantly, feeling amazing in what you are wearing.  At the start of our sessions we have a brief consultation over a coffee [... or a cheeky champagne if it’s an evening appointment!], and then depending on what you are after, one of our stylists [who are ALL equally awesome!] will help you piece outfits together that will go on to become a host of different wardrobe options for you [and give you the most value for your money!]

As a Mum of two little people myself, I completely understand that most shopping experiences involve our little people in tow. At F&N, we welcome your little people and we can completely accommodate them with comfy cushions, colouring books, & even a mini iPad for some “quiet time” while Mum gets to be styled! All we want from you taking the time to visit us, is for you to be able to feel comfortable during our session and leave feeling wonderful about making the right clothing choices for you!

 

 

What are three key things to consider when curating your winter wardrobe?

1. The white shirt! I always have to have a little giggle each week when I watch how many white shirts are shipped out to our beloved customers! Our white shirt was one of the first styles we shot for our online store three years ago and we still sell as many now as we did back then! A white shirt works all year round, from with your denim cut off shorts in Summer OR to the office with a mid-length skirt. But I really love how it can freshen up a Winter outfit, we always tell our clients it simply just polishes off your look when you add one under a jumper, then layered up with a coat! We especially love our College shirt.

2. The Coatigan! Yes, it is actually a word, … in fashion anyway! LOL! It’s where you get all the comfort of your favourite cardigan but with the added warmth of a coat!  A wool coatigan is a must-have for Winter, they are durable, comfortable and most importantly will keep you warm. We usually offer a boxy style so you can fit plenty underneath it & deep pockets are a must to keep your hands toasty! I would suggest looking for a mid-thigh length and pair it back with skinny jeans! Our Hunter or Zuzu Coatigans have been hugely popular this season! Our Hunter Coatigan and our Zuzu Coat.

3. DENIM! It’s a no brainer than we ADORE denim at F+N! Whether it’s our beloved black skinny leg jeans, or a blue ripped knee jean, be sure to check out our huge denim range! We pride ourselves on jeans with loads of stretch, a great high waist and the type of fit we can bend, sit, play with our little people in and still dress up enough for dinner and drinks with the girls! But if ‘tight’ fitted jeans are not really your thing don’t fret, we have it covered every season with an awesome slouchy style which is on trend, looks like denim but has all the comfort of your boyfriends tracky pants! Be sure to check out our Charlie Jean.

4. I'm sorry I know you said just 3! BUT please don’t forget a great pair of leather boots! Which Kat from ‘It’s a Monochrome Life’ knows all about because she left with a pair! ;) Always, ALWAYS buy leather boots, go for a block heel that isn’t too high so you can still walk comfortably in and get lots of use out of!  And well if you can’t decide if you’re a tan or black boot kind of gal, then maybe you’ll just need of each right?! Because boots baby, well they just never seem to go out of fashion! You can shop our leather footwear range here.

 

 

What is next for Feather and Noise?

Awwww, what’s next hey?! Oh my gosh …. SO MUCH! But you’ll just have to hang with us in our happy place over on Instagram to keep up with what will happen next! Because we are forever rolling out something new and exciting! Just like this week when we finished showcasing you SEVEN rad little video clips across 7 days on “how to style dresses in Winter!” We had a blast filming these inspiring clips and the feedback and response to them have been so truly positive! Do we ever rest? Nawww, not really!

 

If you love to shop and want an hour to yourself in the most beautiful and calm of styling suites make sure you head straight to the Feather and Noise website and book in your free, yep you read that right, free styling session.  We were lucky enough to have an hour with Caitlin who shared some fabulous tips and made fantastic suggestions of pieces that would suit us and our body shapes. She showed us how to wear different pieces together and how we could mix and match our purchases (yes there were quite a few!) to create several different outfits. We both left our session feeling happy, feeling good about ourselves, feeling fulfilled and like we wanted to head right back in the door and do it all over again.  We will definitely be returning in Spring!

 

 Its a monochrome life 

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<![CDATA[Brunch With Feather and Noise ]]> Tue, 03 Oct 2017 12:00:00 +0000 Feather and Noise We love Makin’ Noise here at F&N and are always looking for ways to inspire our beautiful customers with different designs, prints and looks to get them through the season in style. Our Brunch with Feather and Noise collection embodies every women’s love for pretty things, staple silhouettes, weekender hangs and the sunshine of Spring. 

Our ‘Violet Kimono Jacket’ is the perfect statement style for this Spring season. Its features a stunning moss green backdrop to a gorgeous pink floral print with beautiful details such as a drawstring waist, kimono silhouette and front feature zip. This style is going to be the one you throw over your denim shorts and basic’s all Summer long.

Styled with: ‘Alexander Blouse’ in white, ‘Thea Pant’ in blush and ‘Silence Heel’ in nude.

 

Our ever popular ‘Piper Tunic’ is now available in khaki and pink for Spring/Summer! These tunics are the perfect way to achieve weekender style without comprising on comfort. Layer over denim, wear as a dress or even layer this stunning style over your favourite shirt, the opportunities really are endless with this gorgeous style.

We often have our styling session clients leaving with one of our ‘Piper Tunics’ as they’re so easy to wear and make weekender tasks a breeze, literally... this style is made from breathable cotton!

Styled with: Pink - ‘Non-Ripped Tash Jean’ and Khaki - May Shirt’ and ‘Bev Heel’ in beige suede.

 

Now, we know everyone loves some desert dreamin’ design.

This amazing botanical print is a must-have to add in your wardrobe this Spring. This design yells Sunday brunch, weekend long drives to your favourite scenic route, sunsets in the background, … you name it!

Style this look with a cute pair of heels or dress it down with sneakers for a relaxed weekender look, … we love our ‘Ada dress’ either way.

Styled with: ‘Juliet Boater Hat’ and ‘Bev Heel’ in moss suede.

Our ‘Hazel shirt’ seemed to be everyone’s favourite this edit, and we don’t blame you! As always, this shirt could be dressed up or down for a stylish everyday look. We’ve paired it with our exclusively designed ‘Alex boyfriend short.’ These shorts are incredible because you can fold them up or down ‘till your hearts content. Having folds that are unstitched are the best because, … OPTIONS. We love giving you options and alternatives to best suit your personal wardrobe.

Styled With: ‘Alex BF Short’, ‘Lilly Sling Bag’ in blush and ‘Teressa Slide’ in moss suede. 

Our ‘Cora Blouse’ is that touch of sweet pretty that brightens up any day! Its stunning design, silhouette and beautiful features add a stylish and feminine touch to any look.

This style can be worn with your tailored pants for work, culottes, your favourite denim or as we have done with a relaxed boyfriend jean. There’s no doubt you’ll be turning heads with this beauty and have everyone asking, ‘Where’s that blouse from’.

Styled With: ‘Billy Boyfriend Jean’ and ‘Silence Heel’.

Fashion: Feather & Noise

Photography: Katie Fergus 

Model & Make up: Claire Denman

Styling:  Jess Lee 

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