Monday, August 26, 2013

Giveaway: 'a penny round for your thoughts' giveaway with Rachel Castle cushions and tea towels

Here's something to brighten your Monday morning!  

I'm excited to tell you that I have not one but TWO Rachel Castle penny round velvet cushions to giveaway to you. A pink and a yellow one.


I'm a long time fan of Rachel Castle and her colourful home wares world so it's super cool to be able to share that love.  




To enter I would like to give me 'a penny round for your thoughts'.  In the comments section here on the blog or on my facebook page I would like you to tell me your thoughts about the content or stuff you want me to deliver and read about.  

I'm in the throws of making over Alex Fulton Design and it would be really helpful to get some feedback on content and direction.  I started this blog as a tool for me but as I grow bigger with more readers I felt it was only fair to see what you want.  I want to make posts you want to read - so go on, help a girl out...

Now is your chance to let me know and therefore go in for a chance to win one of two amazing penny round cushions! 

There is also two runner up prizes of Rachel Castle teatowels - 4 prizes in total so the odds are good my design friends!
* This will be drawn on Friday the 30th August 2013
* All entries are drawn from a randomiser
* Extra entries for a 'share'

You can purchase you own piece of Castle from Small Acorns online or from their shop in Wellington.

Photography by Chris Warnes, Jason Busch and Maya Vidulich

45 comments:

  1. These are gorgeous! :o) Personally I'd like to hear more about your approach to using bold colour in ways that are more than just a cushion or throw but maybe less than a whole painted room. I'd also be keen to learn about how you style rooms, ways to get inside a clients head (or my own head)and work out what it is they/I really like. While I like seeing the odd wonderful room from some rich and famous person overseas I'd love to see more NZ houses with people doing interesting/personalised things. I know my approach might not be everyones and I can appreciate a chair worth $7,000 but I'm more interested in homegrown, more accessible and 'how you could integrate this into your space' ideas. Is that helpful? I love your asethetic so much so I'm keen to see more of AFD over curation.... and because I'm comment 1 I probably won't win but I love the giveaway. Good stuff!!

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    1. Thanks Miriam - this is perfect and just the feedback I need!

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  2. i love your bold brave approach to design and styling. i really dig that you do what feels right for you and really go for it. it is inspiring to people like me that have that 'bright.bold and quirky' style inside but need that extra push to set if free!
    i enjoy the local NZ artists for feature and really enjoy seeing the way YOU would style it. (i also have a crush on your wardrobe from what i have seen so would love to see a few of your favs!)

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  3. Super stuff Emma-Kate! Thanks a bunch.

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  4. Hi! Great cushions, great blog. Goes without saying really! Things I like to read about:

    - Tutorials ie. How to get something to look as great as you get it to look!
    - Behind the scenes stuff
    - Your picks. You obvously have great taste so I'd like to see a list of your favourite various things. Art, Homewares, fashion etc.

    Thanks!

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    1. Hi Laura - thanks so much for that feedback and good luck!!

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  5. I love your use of colours & patterns. I would like to read more about your tips for using colour in different areas of the home (without having to do a total room makeover), where you get your inspiration (both locally & overseas) & where you find your treasures.

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  6. Hi Alex, I enjoyed your session at Handmade over Queens Birthday Weekend. That gave me a good starting point to explore changing things at home. I would like to see more info and tips on where to access/buy these treasures and a few tutorials on some of your DIY techniques like you did at Handmade. Now this might be pushing it but would you consider also running a few classes where we can also create a few of your diy ideas to take home.

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    1. Hi Janine - thanks and glad you enjoyed Handmade. It was so fun to do. All that is noted and I was thinking along the same lines. You are not pushing it at all - infact March next year I am planning some design school classes in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. More details to follow...

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  7. I love and am inspired by your use of colours and quirky fun decor....I am true fan of colour also, but sometimes a little scared to use it and to know when is too much. I love DIY tips and tutorials and also how to achieve a look on a budget as well. I love all kinds of styles vintage, eclectic, retro etc etc but get a bit confused also in how to combine the 'looks' together. Making a home a fun and happy place to live but functional too is all about what I am trying to achieve :)

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  8. I love your blog, love the 'It's not about faces, just places, spaces' and I am still patiently waiting for you to do one on the fabulous disco basement house that has been on grand designs!
    I also LOVED your post about keeping it real.
    I would be interested in a post or two about your interior design process I realise no two clients/jobs would be the same but I have no Idea what would happen if - say if I rang you to come pick paint colours etc for my house?

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    1. Ahhh yes! I loved that house too - Ok will see what I can find Mikala!

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  9. I would love some ideas on growing confidence in your own style. I have very eclectic tastes and find it hard to make decisions about decor - how do you stay on the right track room by room, when you have eclectic tastes, without 'over-crowding' with too many different themes?
    Also always love design ideas on a budget, some NZ based, affordable design ideas would be fantastic!

    I'd love to win these cushions, I'm decorating my bedroom at present and am trying to stick with pinks and yellows for my colour palette.

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  10. I am similar to those above, love colour but scared to use it! When to go further with colour, when to stop, am I being too matchy matchy etc. I guess I'm asking for some tips about "colour confidence"...
    Love your blog, it's so nice to see designers with a sense of fun rather than boring minimalist mentality. Keep up the great work :)

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  11. Hi Alex, this is possibly just me but I am most interested in seeing inspirational homes and products for my home and less on other styling (fashion etc). That's probably because we are about to start renovations so I am devouring every interiors blog, magazine, TV programme that I can and have flagged other interests for now. Much like when I was pregnant then all I read was baby books....clearly I am a one-project woman!
    I want to see lots of New Zealand content however it's great to see international homes too and keep abreast of international trends. Don't show me products I can't source in NZ as it's just too painful if I want it and can't source it in NZ! Love your work, you are providing me with lots of inspiration for our enormous renovation job ahead!

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    1. Yes I totally agree with you about souring product! I aim to make everything available to my readers either loaclly or on-line.

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  12. I love your brave style of wild and crazy colour - it's just so refreshing to see something other than the usual minimal style. Personally, I'm all for great NZ finds (or international, but with shipping to NZ) at an affordable price. Love to see something along the lines of "get this look in NZ without breaking the budget!". Other than that, I just love seeing your own creations and projects!

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  13. Morning Alex, love your work and huge fan of Rachel Castle. We are in the process of building a house so am into all things interior/DIY/ways of creating a look at an affordable price/new products/ the list goes on...so many choices...
    Would also be keen to see boards of your fav picks for interior/colour/fashion/art, sometimes when you live remotely or are busy with kids you don't get a lot of time to shop or browse mags without interruption so great to have some cool stuff gathered by someone groovy to check out.
    Look forward to hearing about a workshop that I can come to.

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  14. Hi, I guess I am going to say pretty much what everyone else has said - using colour when I'm not quite as brave as you ! Totally agree on seeing more of NZ designers and not just the same old same old stuff and things and looks you can actually achieve by buying in NZ or without breaking the bank and requiring a shipping container from overseas ! Finding out how to incorporate the trends without looking like a showroom and having to change them every 5 minutes etc etc.

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  15. HI Alex - as one of your long time 'followers' I can only say that you must be doing it right, already, as otherwise why would you have become so popular, Daaaarrrling??

    What I love about your blog: 1. Your expressive use of the English language (I use that term loosely); 2. You are very different from everybody else - bold, bold, bold! - ie not following trends, but going your own way; 3. showcasing NZ designers that we can access from out of the way places like Masterton!! 4. Showing us real homes, but also the behind the scenes styling tips - before and after.

    Just keep doing what you are doing, basically! You are very entertaining, and show me things I would normally not take notice of. Rx

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  16. I love your way with eclectic colours objects and the way you style them so they dont look like a crazy space. Sounds a bit unusual but i'd love to see some un styled spaces where they havnt been perfected and so you can see how they might apply to the everyday person rather than just for a photo shoot that looks like it could have been photoshopped... does that make sense - more raw spaces ie craft desks that are just as they are when they are being used - kithens in the middle of tea - esp spaces where kids might be as I've got little kiddies and somtimes it seems unrealistic the styling for when you've got little ones that pull everythng down... how did you manage this phase of life? ... hmm not sure if that makes sense... anyways love love your work! x

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  17. Wow Alex, great prizes! I adore Rachel Castle, and anything velvet has me weak at the knees. I always love it when you share cool new products and where to find them. Keep showing us your amazing, bold, colourful style - you know I love that. It's so exciting to see Kiwi's embracing colour and getting more adventurous. x

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  18. Melissa 'Owens' PatersonAugust 26, 2013 at 10:59 PM

    ALL OF THE ABOVE... you have the right mix of everything with loads of inspiration & passion (& colour)Always a great read & you have your finger on the pulse.
    Lots of DIY tutorials are great, how to get style on a budget & tips & tricks for interiors.
    I have seen a few other design bloggers do a 'this or that' perhaps in the same approach you can show how you can change the look of a room with a couple of key items. I really loved your post on how REAL living is not about your space being styled perfectly all the time & that you are human too. Keep up the greatness

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    1. Also ideas for tweens rooms too

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  19. I'm quite new to your blog but love your ideas so I'm pretty happy with what you're already doing! I'd really love to read about how to get started. How do you turn the everyday into something a little bit unique? Where do you start? Maybe a room by room guide with ideas, handmade craft ideas and links to where you can find all those wonderful things!

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    1. Hi Jo and thanks for the comments - I love all those suggestions and agree!

      Good luck!

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  20. How to put colours together, how to solve interior colour problems ie i have a pink heirloom clock an auberge sofa and grey carpet what colour curtains could i get to pull it all together?! Emerging id/colour trends and how to diy them. Inspirational ideas/images into real life rooms/vignettes. Quite like your fashion sense to so a bit of that wouldn't go amiss either!

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  21. Great prize, Rachel Castle products are so beautiful and I love her pretty colours. Its amazing how colour can just lift your spirits and make you feel good. Wonderful to see your space in Your Home and Garden recently. Even showed it to my husband. Nice to see someone local (Blenheim) within their pages. On blogs I love to see beautiful spaces, cool products, new collections (wallpaper and fabrics), plenty of colour, and ideas on how to create your own beautiful spaces. Oh and (easy) crafty ideas. Please go on showcasing NZ products and websites where we can get some of the fantastic items. Love your style, enjoy the blog :)

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  22. You definitely epitomise In Living Colour - your posts are always informative, interesting and fresh in terms of design finds, use of colour, awesome interior spaces and new and exciting ways to both create and source your own little slice of style. Would like to know some solutions with colour and pattern - what works well, what should be avoided. Also when injecting colour in to a home in several rooms should you run a theme throughout or tailor each room individually? And are there any particular pieces or objects you are best to spend big bucks on when designing your space as opposed to skimping on. Really love your stuff....please just keep on rolling it out!

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    1. Annie! You have won the Pink Penny Round! Please email me with your postal address and I will get this out to you this week.

      Thanks again for being a part of this competition - it's the readers that make this all worth while!

      Alex

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  23. Well what can I add? Keep on trucking!!....lol
    Keep up your wonderful job of where we can buy all the goodness.....local + like someone added international that will ship to nz. One thing I would like help with is how to make the handmade look work in your house.....without looking tacky!! Also not to be afraid. ....im not afraid of colour but how to put everything together. Would love to see homes from the back + beyond......how they do it without having shops down the road. It would also be fun to have a guest blogger now + again. Love to see the process you go through when working on a job. And yes I love RC products.......esp velvet cushions....dont own any yet!!

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  24. I love your confident approach to bold colours. I'd love to see more ways to approach it for those with a little less confidence in decision making :) Mood boards of putting colours and ideas together, with items sourced from NZ suppliers. Small things to refresh a room for a new season - without starting from scratch. Tips on creating a cohesive house, and how to inject some life and colour without ending up with a room where a rainbow threw up ;) (..or looking like a graphic designers house full of black, white and grey, such is mine!).

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  25. Miriam from the first post has summed up what I would like to know. I would like to take it a little further and think it would be really helpful if you compiled an Alex Fulton list of key components for each room of a house to take it from being a functional room to being one full of personality and individual style. I'm particularly interested in how you would achieve that in entrances, hallways, bathrooms and laundries.

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  26. I love some of your DIY and i can never get enough of seeing hhow other people create things

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  27. Hi Alex, I'm a mum of 4 kids and we live rurally so access to city shopping is difficult...So I get my inspiration from awesome blogs like yours! (I have been known to burn the tea as I read 'just one more' interiors blog!!)
    I love your brave use of colour and I would love ideas on how to do this on a budget...I have to stick to neutral colours for the big things...(walls, couches, curtains) as it just isn't in the budget to change them as trends change. So basically, I would love advice on how to be brave without stuffing it up!
    Also as I cant look in all the amazing shops that Auckland/Wellington have, some advice on where to find stuff too would be great. I'm right into repurposing old furniture with a lick of paint etc...(especially if its a bargain find!) so some more DIY inspiration would be fabulous!
    I applaud that you have made a career out of what you are passionate about and what inspires you! Well done you!

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  28. Alex we so enjoy your blog and your love of colour is so inspiring. Have had my eye on those Castle teatowels for a while now ;) Miss RC is a very clever lady. X X

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  29. continued from above.... We just love seeing what you;ve done in your home, and your purchases. You inspire others to be brave with their interiors. And your take on DIY is the best!!

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  30. I love your style and so wish I could be more confident with my colour choices! We have a small space to work with though, so I'm focusing on just letting the decor be bright, and leaving the rest plain. I spend about a billion years each time I have to make a colour choice for paint/bedroom themes etc, that I never actually get much done. Where do you begin!? I want to see more DIY ideas, more of your individual style, before and afters, lots of yummy colourful new products you find... and pretty much everything everyone has already suggested! And Oh my gosh, I NEED one of those cushions.

    Thanks for the inspiration :)

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  31. Love your style and those cushions! Would love to hear more interior tips, maybe some DIY projects, where you get your inspiration from and where you purchase your amazing finds!

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  32. I like your colour and pattern ideas and your view on the world. I'd like to see how your inside spaces can move outside, style ideas for outdoor patios etc. Also I'd like to see things that are specifically targeted like ideas for ceilings, tiny spaces etc. Also layers, layers and layers!! ;)

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  33. I would love to learn how to freshen my house with colour (but on a budget). Learning to do this through seeing accessible NZ homes that have achieved this rather than expensive overseas houses would be great.
    I love your style and think its great that you share your talents with us all so thanks :-)

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