Some years ago she started an adventure travel business with her partner, Bob, escorting groups to the Indian sub-continent. With a love of textiles, this was a fascinating place for Noreen, and she soaked up as much as she could. Back in Australia she spent some time working in the fashion industry, and eventually created her own designs, with the help a team of Nepalese women knitters. This was the start of Juniper Hearth, a shop which is a fusion of two great passions - travel and textiles.
The shop has come along way since it's opening in 2002. Based in Berry on the NSW South Coast, they now also have an online e-Emporium, and their products come from Australia and around the world. One of my favourite ranges is these wool throw blankets by UK designer, Joy Bates. Joy shares my love of colour and pattern. Her knitted throws, made from the finest pure lambswool, are divinely soft with a Scandinavian flavour.
The names of the four colourways are nearly as gorgeous as the blankets themselves - antigua and ice blue, candy and inferno red, pamplemousse yellow and mercury, and dewdrop and diesel blue.
Keep checking their website, or better yet, join the Juniper Hearth mailing list, as a range of matching cushions are due to join the blankets soon.
Noreen continues to travel on the hunt for more beautiful and exotic products to share with us through Juniper Hearth. She has added Europe to these travels, but her heart always leads her back to Nepal and India. She loves working directly with the craftswomen, drawing on their traditional and extraordinary skills.
What an enviable job and life she has made for herself! Don't you agree?
love it! what gorgeousness.
ReplyDeleteThanks Emma Kate. They are divine aren't they?! :) x
DeleteThese are simply gorgeous! And those names...Gah!
ReplyDeleteGreat find :)
Yes, the names alone make me want to buy one :) x
DeleteI am always in awe of people who can turn their passion into a job. It’s incredibly rare and very inspiring. As ever, these lovelies have made me even more excited about my move across the continent! I’m stalking the link as we speak!
ReplyDeleteIf you have a job that you're passionate about, you never really feel like it's work - cliche I know Meghan, but so true :) x
DeleteWhat beautiful throws - pamplemousse yellow and mercury (had to copy and paste that!) is my fave. I think they'd be gorgeous in kidsrooms. Lovely story behind it too! x
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