The Simply Natural

Wall inspiration

2009-08-19T03:10:00.000-07:00

When I'm flicking through a magazine the last thing I normally spend time on is looking at the ads. Ads, especially in house magazines are particularly bland and dull, I think. Nothing to inspire or get excited about.

But this advertisement made me stop. It is from furniture and electrical store Harvey Norman (big in Australia, but not usually my style). What really caught my eye in this image (below) is the wall art. If you click on the picture you can see a much larger image.

Ok, so the picture I've scanned in isn't great quality, but I love the wall art they have created with natural cast offs. It appears to me that they've taken what looks like an off cut from a palm tree - correct me if I'm wrong - that you can often buy these days from florists specialising in modern designs.

It looks like they've hammered in a couple of nails in to the wall and balanced the palm frond/leaf thing on them.

I've looked closely at what is in the palm leaves and decided they are some sort of sculptures made from cuttlefish bones. They seem to be wired together. Obviously I pored over this picture for ages!

Do you think I'm right? Have you ever seen anything like this before? I wonder if it would get stinky...

I tried googling cuttlefish bone art and cuttlefish bone scultpure and nothing came up that looked remotely like this.

Anyway, it took my fancy and I think it is a fabulous and innovative way to decorate your wall. Go Harvey Norman!

Best wishes,

The problem with open plan living

2009-08-17T03:06:00.000-07:00

It seems like open plan living has well and truly taken hold. And why not - it has so many benefits, the best one being that the cook is not stuck slaving over a hot stove on their own. With open plan, the cook doesn't miss out.

But - and this is a big but - open plan living does have its drawbacks! This I know - having lived in open plan spaces all my adult life. One major drawback is noise - it's very difficult to run a mixmaster or fry some food without someone complaining and turning the tv up several notches - which is my pet hate!

But even worse - there's no where to hide the mess! Have a few people over for dinner, and there's bound to be a few pots and pans lying about. Particularly with the current trend to put sinks out facing towards the dining area - you see this ALL the time in Australia now. Take this example below - where the sink is right out there on show. Beautiful now, while it's clean and clutter free, but not so much when the benchtop is full of dirty dishes! The clean freak in me cringes!

So this is why I love this kitchen below. It has a bench with a high return on it, which normally screams '80s naff. But here I think it looks stylish and it hides all the kitchen mess. I think the gorgeous stone helps.

Or if you don't like the high return style - here's a good idea below - leave the bench entirely free of sinks or stovetop and tuck the sink in an incongruous spot AND make the sink very wide and deep like this gorgeous butlers style sink, to hide as many dirty dishes in there until you get a chance to tidy up completely.

My poor little blog has been rather neglected lately. Life has been getting in the way. And I haven't been visiting all my favourite blogs either!

Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things soon.

Best wishes,

2009-08-10T03:44:00.000-07:00

So here's some more photos from Bali. We had such a great time, and saw so many things. It was quite a packed, busy holiday, but we still found time for massages, pedicures, manicures and cocktails.

Uluwatu temple right down the south point of the island is breathtakingly beautiful (and full of cheeky monkeys!).

The Balinese Cultural Centre is quite awe inspiring with its two magnificent statues of Balinese gods. This one below is Garuda.

This one is yet to be finished....

See, here's his arms, almost ready to be attached.

We got up early one morning to watch the sunrise on Sanur beach......

After the sun was up we had a delicious breakfast at a hotel right on the beach. Heaven!

The rice paddies up around Ubud are absolutely breathtaking. This photo unfortunately doesn't do them justice.

We saw a number of magnificent, ancient temples, set in luscious tropical grounds.

The Balinese bathe at this particular temple because it is said to wash away your problems.

We visited Kintami, an active volcano in the north of the island. It was a spectacular view and there are a number of restaurants to eat at and take in the view.

Just for fun, I've included a couple of photos of the main mode of transport in Bali - scooters. There are hundreds on the street at any one time, with up to four people on them. We saw a person on their scooter carrying huge bags of rice, two were carrying a ladder and another two were carrying a window pane!

These people in the image below soon took off and were hurtling down the freeway at 60km per hour!

We also took an elephant ride, went swimming, ate out every night, saw a couple of bands and did lots of shopping. The shops in Bali are many and varied, ranging from little stalls selling shell jewellery and designer t-shirt rip offs, to rather exclusive shops selling sophisticated resort ware or homewares.

I think that if you were building a magnificent brand new house, and wanted to fill it with asian antiques, curios and modern asian furniture, a trip to Bali would be worthwhile, even when you include the shipping expenses. You can get everything from giant stone buddha heads to beautiful mother of pearl photo frames.

Like any country, Bali has the good, the bad and the ugly. There appears to be a lot of poverty, and many people work incredibly hard just to eke out a living. But having said that, the Balinese people seem very content, and from what I saw, are incredibly gracious people with the biggest, warmest smiles I've ever seen.

If you are planning to go to Bali here are my tips -

1. take good walking shoes because the footpaths are treacherous or non-existent!

2. spoil yourself by taking in the sunset over the beach at Ku De Tah or the Oberoi at Seminyak, while sipping one of their delicious cocktails

3. watch the sunrise at the beach at Sanur

4. take Travelan tablets with every meal to avoid Bali Belly

5. book a hotel for a few days overlooking the rice paddies at Ubud.

Ok, I hope I haven't lost you with my travel log. My next post will be back to business as usual, I promise!

Bali bliss

2009-08-06T02:34:00.000-07:00

I arrived home from Bali at 9.00am this morning, after a wonderful eight days in Bali. I had such a fabulous time visiting this fascinating country.

I haven't had much sleep, as we travelled all night, so it will be an early night for me, but I couldn't resist putting up some of the photos I took while I was away. I hope you enjoy them.

These last two photos are taken at one of the villas we stayed at (please excuse the wonkiness of the photos!). The bathroom was absolutely huge, and included a beautiful water feature. We had our own private pool, and because the weather was very hot and humid, it came in handy.

I'm looking forward to catching up with my blog friends over the next few days, but in the meantime, I've got some sleeping to do!

Best wishes,

Can a new home have character?

2009-07-24T01:44:00.000-07:00

Planning on a building a new home, but concerned that it won't have the same character as an older home? Can you give your a new home some character? The answer is a resounding yes!

At the planning stage think about adding beautiful mouldings: cornices and skirting boards, and maybe even adding wainscotting or tongue and groove panelling (bead board) to your walls. Raising your ceilings to at least nine feet is also critical to give your home that old style feel. Recycled floorboards are another way to add a beautiful feeling of character and solidity to your home.

But let's face it, often the budget precludes people from doing some of the above things - they can be costly additions. But one thing that might just possibly be within reach of the average jo is architectural salvage.

I think it is really sad when lovely old homes get demolished, but the fact is, it does happen - often because the house is unsound or because it is cheaper to rebuild from scratch rather than renovate. But at least if they are going to be demolished, parts of the home can be salvaged for others to re-use.

With some patience, you might just be able to find a fabulous fireplace, a great bathtub or some wonderful old doors. And think outside the square - consider barn doors, doors from a pub, or shutters.

Not all architectural salvage is cheap - pieces from Europe can be costly. But if you look around, you might just get lucky. So patience could be required! I'm guessing you'd also need a builder who understands your vision and is willing to incorporate these treasures into your home.

So here's some images to give you some inspiration on how to add character using salvaged doors, windows and shutters. Some of them hide televisions and stereo equipment - clever!

Images 1 Atlanta Bartlett 2 Sally Wheat via Cote de Texas 3 Country Living 4 & 5 Scanned from Australian Home Beautiful 6 Mimmi O'Connell via Desire to Inspire 7 unknown 8 Scanned from Elle 9 & 10 unknown

I've had a really busy week - working extra hours at work because I'm off to Bali next week. And the weekend is full, full, full! So I'm struggling to visit blogs right now, but when I come back and have found my feet again, I'll be back with bells on!

Best wishes,

A place to create and dream

2009-07-22T03:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday one of my favourite bloggers, Struggler of Struggling to be Stylish wrote about Ballard Designs, and it reminded me of the first time I heard about this company. About ten years ago I bought an interesting book called A Room of Her Own, by Chris Casson Madden. It featured the beautiful office/study of Ballard Design's founder, Helen Ballard Weeks.

Author Chris Casson Madden explained the focus of her book:

"Many of us long to find the time in a busy schedule to relax and refresh ourselves, body and spirit. I firmly believe that in order to give back to our relationships, careers, families, and passions, we must pull in for short moments to take care of ourselves, then we can return to the people and places of our lives renewed, refreshed, and ready to continue the drama of our days with all the joys, sorrows, pleasures, and stresses that go with it."

A Room of Her Own: Women's Personal Spaces features the special places that a variety of creative and dynamic women from all walks of life have created as retreats from their busy lives.

"The connective thread, for all of these personal spaces, is that each one, in dazzlingly different ways, brings its owner the sense of solitude, of the sanctuary they need in their rich and engaged lives".

Here's the fabulous Helen Ballard Weeks, as featured in the book.

So many things about Helen Ballard Week's room intrigued me. The mannequins and the architectural salvage above the door immediately captured my interest.

I adored the natural seagrass flooring and the classic white sofa.

Helen Ballard Weeks' office is full of interesting bits of bobs, which she used as inspiration for her famous catalogue. This was her place to dream and create.

Sentimental photos are displayed beautifully.

Love the desk and the mirrored screen.

Helen Ballard Weeks is now retired. I'd love to see what her home looks like now, I'm sure it is stunning and full of interesting architectural pieces and French antiques.

I love seeing the personal spaces of creative women - they can be so inspiring. I think the message of this book - that women must create a sanctuary for themselves where they can rest and re-energise before they can give to others, is an important one we should all heed.

I hope you have a room of your own, or even a corner of your own to rest, dream and reinvigorate.

Best wishes,

2009-07-22T02:55:00.000-07:00

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Summer is calling

2009-07-20T02:56:00.000-07:00

I'm loving the artwork of Australian artist/designer Chris Chun. There's a freshness and vibrancy to his work that I find appealing. The colours positively sing!

The gorgeous colours and the feeling of joy in Chris Chun's work reminds me of this pretty, summery room. One of his works would look lovely in this room don't you think?

If you want to check out more of Chris Chun's beautiful work, you are in luck as Chris has a blog, a website and his own on-line store. Last image via Marley and Lockyer.

I won't be blogging tomorrow as it is my birthday. Thank you to all those sweet people who have sent me birthday wishes. They've made my day (and I haven't even had it yet!)

Have a great day.

Best wishes,

Raising my glass

2009-07-17T05:39:00.000-07:00

I have a dozen girlfriends coming over tomorrow night for drinks to help celebrate my birthday.

There will be plenty of food and cocktails.

Tonight I'm making frozen cosmopolitans, while the rest of the cocktails we'll make on the night - strawberry mojitos, sparkling limoncello slushies and mudslides. Yum!

Images 1 - 3 Taste 4 Oregon Live

I'll raise my glass to my special blog friends, who have given my year an extra sparkle.

Have a happy weekend!

Best wishes,

Purple haze

2009-07-16T02:17:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, my favourite colour was purple. I still like purple, in it's various shades and nuances. Subtle, smoky brown-purples, soft blue-purples and pretty pink-purples are the ones I like the most.

Images 1 Polly Wreford at Sarah Kaye Represents 2 Debi Treloar 3 Sarah Maingot 4 House to Home 5 & 6 Atlanta Bartlett 7 Coastal Style 8 Charlotte Murphy 9 Coastal Living 10 Pure Public 11 Sussie Bell 12 scanned from Elle Decor 13 Tine K

Best wishes,

Displaying photos and postcards

2009-07-15T02:48:00.000-07:00

Do you have some beautiful old family photos or some lovely postcards that are too nice to keep tucked away in a cupboard?

Here are some creative ways to display them. These examples show there is more ways to display photos and postcards than putting them in a frame.

I love that each of these examples have taken a casual, unstructured approach to display - they look spontaneous and easy.

Images 1 Helen Norman 2 Coastal Style 3 Madison 4 Scanned from Australian Home Beautiful 5 Sweet Paul 6 Sussie Bell 7 Scanned from Domino 8 Sweet Paul 9 John Gruen 10 Scanned from Australian Country Style

By the way, two weeks today til I go to Bali, not that I'm counting or getting excited or anything.....

Best wishes,

Patience is a virtue

2009-07-14T03:21:00.000-07:00

This is my dining table.

I'm not a person who buys stop-gap pieces. I'd much rather go without until I find the exact piece of furniture I'm after.

I went without any sort of dining table for five years while I searched for 'the one'. Five years of eating dinner on our laps, and only entertaining in summer when we could use our outdoor dining table. One Christmas we even brought the outdoor dining table inside.

After all those years of searching, eight years ago I finally found this table in an antique shop in the city. I fell in love with its sturdy straight legs, its solid shape, and its wonderful patina.

It was originally a farmhouse table, on a farm just outside Lobethal, a little town in the lovely Adelaide hills. I often wonder if the farmer made it himself. The antique dealer I bought it from found it in a big shed on the farm. It had been sitting there unloved for many years, before the dealer bought it and had it brought back to life.

The restorer was careful to keep all the marvellous dings and dents and stains that give this table its character. We've probably contributed a bit more 'character' over the last eight years.

This bit below is my favourite part - an indentation on the railing. I often wonder if this was from where the head of the household rested his booted foot every night over dinner. I also love how the bottom of the legs are wrapped in a metal strip.

It's nice to have a little piece of history in my home. I think it warms up my very neutral, very new home quite nicely.

Best wishes,

Gather around the table

2009-07-13T03:40:00.000-07:00

Sleek, highly glossy tables have their purpose: you can check your teeth for spinach in them. But otherwise, give me a worn, gnarled old table any day.

I love tables that you aren't going to have a heart attack over if your two year old decides to play cars over the top of it. In fact, they are just adding to the character.

Or that you feel just as comfortable using as a craft table as you do serving dinner on it.

I love tables that wear their history with pride. You know that this table has served a family well over many years, and it shows every ding and dent.

Tables that you know are not just for show, but serve a purpose too. A place for homework, reading the paper, or rolling out some scones.

These are the sort of tables that your family and friends can relax at. They can chew the fat on these tables - in more ways than one.

I love strong, sturdy and solid tables, built to last.

Images 1 scanned from Australian Home Beautiful 2 Beach Studios via Marley & Lockyer 3 Scanned from Belle 4 Canadian House to Home via Rare and Beautiful Treasures 5 Living etc 6 Country Living 7 Lincoln Barbour 8 scanned from Australian Country Style 9 White Flower Farmhouse 10 Skona Hem 11 Simon Kenny, Content Agency 12 Frances Janisch 13 Country Living

Best wishes,

Come on through

2009-07-09T03:11:00.000-07:00

I'm no gardener. I'm not one of those people who finds it therapeutic and rewarding. I find it backbreaking and.....grotty!

But just because I don't love gardening doesn't mean I don't love gardens. My mum created a beautiful garden in the home I grew up in and I loved just being in it and soaking up the beauty.

My own poor garden is a little bit bedraggled and unloved. And it is also small. I love the idea of having a garden big enough to divide it into 'rooms', suggested by a garden gate or an archway. It provides a little mystery and romance, 'secret garden' style. I also love the idea of a gardener!

Hope you enjoy these garden rooms.

Images 1 Skona Hem via Purple Area 2 Sussie Bell 3 Kate French at Sarah Kaye Represents 4 Domino via Abbey Goes Design Scouting 5 Charlie Drevstam 6 unknown

Best wishes,

New book love

2009-07-08T03:05:00.000-07:00

This little gem arrived in the mail for me this week. I love getting things in the mail. When I first saw this book, the beautiful front cover intrigued me (designed by Australian stylist Pia Jane Bijkerk), but it was the description of the book that won me over in the end:

"A visit to a flea market can be the highlight of a trip to France: a lively encounter with everyday French culture, an exciting way to spend a few hours, and a chance to pick up a unique souvenir or add to a collection. The Flea Markets of France is the indispensable tool for getting the most out of your visit, whether you’re a first-time visitor or an experienced shopper. Conversational and comprehensive, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about exploring markets all over France. Descriptions of more than thirty markets and their specialties, as well as practical advice on visiting them, is augmented by notes on regional items, tips on bargaining and collecting, a glossary of relevant French phrases, and a useful rating system which gives an overview of each market.

Much more than a simple listing of French flea markets, Sandy Price’s warm suggestions of things to do nearby, places to eat, food specialties of the area, and local amenities are complemented by bits of history and cultural observations. Armed with this comprehensive guide, visitors to France will feel they are in good, reliable hands."

I don't know when I'll get to visit France, but in the meantime, I can flick through this book and dream of the day when I can be there in person.

To get a little bit more of a glimpse of this book, click here.

Best wishes,

Rev it up with red

2009-07-07T04:27:00.000-07:00

I think red is one of those colours that works whatever the season. It can look fresh and summery or warm and cosy. You can't beat its versatility.

Images 1 Scanned from Australian Home Beautiful 2 Country Home 3 Helen Norman 4 Charlie Drevstam 5 Better Homes and Gardens 6 & 7 Scanned from Australian Better Homes and Gardens 8 Janne Peters 9 Cottage Living 10 & 11 Helen Norman 12 Country Living 13 unknown

Still needing a red fix? You can look at my earlier red posts here.

For those Aussies that have been following Homemade - yay Jason! Woohoo! I'm so pleased he won. I love his elegant timeless style, and he is such a sweet and relaxed person.

Best wishes,

Retail dreams

2009-07-06T04:01:00.000-07:00

Like many people obsessed with homes and interior design, I often watch movies somewhat distracted by the beautiful homes and sets. Practical Magic was one of those movies for me - and I'm sure I'm not the only one who became entranced. The exterior of this home is a real Victorian beauty and I loved the romantic soft gardens.

But what really captured my imagination in this movie is Sally's botanical beauty shop - Verbena. When I first hired this movie on DVD I slo-mo'd through the scenes in the shop, just so I could get a better look.

I love the crisp, pure look of the shop and the green and white colour scheme. The set designers went to a lot of trouble to carry this theme through the whole shop - green bottles, green pears, green and white labels and even Sally is colour coordinated in her green and white outfit!

I adore so many elements in this image (below). The botanical prints on the wall, the charming built in shelves, the neatness and orderliness of the jars and bottles, the ladder (the ladder!), the silver cup handles on the drawers, and the rustic wooden bowl holding the pears - I just love it all.

You can only see a glimpse of it here, below, but I love the antique set of scales, and also the tongue and groove panelling on the back of the built in units.

Look at all these gorgeous bottles!

I love the light, airiness of the shop.

All images from amas veritas

I often dream of owning a shop, and in my mind it looks something like Verbena (but it would be a homewares shop). The clean, fresh look of Verbena would be my inspiration. But in reality, I'm too fearful of giving up my regular-paying day job, especially when I have no experience and I know that owning any business is incredibly hard work. But still, it's a little dream I have, and I love to dream.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Best wishes,

I've been shopping

2009-07-02T03:11:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday in a few weeks (bad). I'm turning 40 (badder). But I've bought myself some presents (good).

I've bought myself a cocktail....

A candlelit dinner....

A massage....

Plus this.....

And this.....

And this....

Yes, a week after my birthday I am going to Bali!

It is going to be so wonderful to escape the cold dreary wet weather for a week in the balmy tropics.

I'm rather embarrassed to admit it, but this is my first trip overseas in 25 years. 25 years! Where did the time go?

I'm going with a friend and we will be there for 7 nights. Part of the time we will be staying here:

And the remainder of the time we'll be staying here...in the honeymoon suite! My friend and I have been having a giggle about that....but just because we are single girls doesn't mean we don't deserve a special room right?

I'm looking forward to the warm weather, the delicious food, the shopping, the mountains, the temples...everything really.

We'll be leaving on 29 July. That's three weeks and six days away, not that I'm counting or anything....

I'm hoping that this is just the start of many overseas adventures for me. Life begins at 40 right?

Best wishes,

Leibowitz and McLachlan

2009-06-30T04:40:00.000-07:00

I've fallen in love with the work of Taryn Leibowitz and Tamie McLachlan, partners in the design firm Leibowitz and McLachlan.

I'm way behind the times because Desire to Inspire featured this Sydney duo way back in October 2007, while Blair from Delight by Design and Erin from Designs 4 Living featured them earlier this year.

And now these talented designers have hit the big time, with a feature in the US magazine Interiors, including the front cover.

And their moment in the sun is warranted, as their work is absolutely beautiful.

I have loved every image I've seen so far of their work. Their look is classic, yet fresh. Sophisticated but comfortable. I love the colours too - lashings of white, dark dark wooden floors and lots of punches of dark neutrals.

Their bathrooms are magnificent. Lots of beautiful marble or travertine, warmed up with fabulous details like antique mirrors and perfume bottles, and fluffy white towells.

They have a great eye for texture, and I love their blend of antiques and new pieces.

This zinc coffee table is fantastic.

I love this room - very beachy and laid back, but still sophisticated. You could put your feet up here.

Squidgy couches and a classic white kitchen, what more could you ask for.

Love the texture of this pendant against the cool, smooth white marble.

There's lots of lovely little details everywhere, adding warmth and interest.

I have looked everywhere in Adelaide for chairs like these below! I would love one for my study and one on each end of my dining table.

Outdoor areas are equally beautiful.

I find these designers so inspiring. I can't wait to see what other wonderful homes they create in the future.

All images from Leibowitz and McLachlan, Desire to Inspire, Delight by Design, Designs 4 Living and Content Agency.

Best wishes,

Shutterly divine

2009-06-29T04:08:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, I have adored plantation shutters. At one time they used to be as rare as hen's teeth here in Australia, but these days they are becoming more common, particularly in lovely old classic homes.

I've always thought of white when thinking of plantation shutters, but they also look smart in black, or sophisticated in a soft grey colour.

Images 1 scanned from Australian Better Homes and Gardens 2 scanned from Australian Home Beautiful 3 Coastal Living 4 Maree Homer 5 via Harmony and Home 6 scanned from Australian Country Style 7 Country Living 8 scanned from Australian Better Homes and Gardens

I really love the classic, elegant look of plantation shutters. They look fantastic in almost any style of home.

In my first home I had a big bay of three tall arched windows in the front of my house and I had white plantation shutters custom made. They cost a bomb, but they were worth it! Then when I became newly single I bought a home of my own so I couldn't afford custom shutters. But I was determined to still have my shutters for my bedroom, which faces the street, so I bought them in kit form and sanded, painted and assembled them myself. That was hard work! Four years down the track I'm (almost) ready to go again - this time for my son's room and our study. Think I'll wait til the weather warms up so I can sand outside though....

Best wishes,

PJ's giveaway

2009-06-25T04:06:00.000-07:00

Images 1,2 & 4 Flickr 3 Terragalleria 4 the Guardian

I don't have a completely one track mind. Reading is one of my other passions. If you want to see my list of current favourites, check out my profile.

So I was pretty happy to hear my lovely blog friend PJ is having a giveaway - a $50 "e" gift certificate from Amazon.com

I know what I would buying with it!

PJ has posted a photo and to be entered in the drawing all you need to do is post a caption.

And while you are there stick around and read PJ's blog, Seens from the back of my eyelids, featuring her observations on life, beautiful quotes and photos and her home extension.

Best wishes,

If I had a beach house....

2009-06-24T03:28:00.000-07:00

Like so many people, I dream of a house by the sea. Nothing too fancy. Just a little cottage a hop skip and a jump from the sand.

There'd be a great big living room, with huge picture windows facing the sea. I'd like a couple of big comfy white couches, and a fireplace for those wintry, brisk nights by the sea.

It would have a little quiet corner, for reading a book.

I'd like a large, well equipped kitchen, but nothing too fancy.

A great big table so I could comfortably entertain lots of friends or family. A great spot for board games too!

I'd want a buffet neatly stacked with all the things you need for entertaining the troupes.

A spare but comfortable main bedroom, with a vintage bed and crisp ticking bedding. Somewhere to snuggle down while listening to the waves.

A fun dormitory for all the kids.

A simple, yet luxurious bathroom.

I'd make sure there'd be lots of little of life necessities around, like french olive oil soap and thick white fluffy towels.

In fact, I'd make sure there were lots of little thoughtful touches, including flowers and candles.

Shells, of course.

Little lighthouses.

More shells, and some old bottles.

Images 1 Mark Williams 2 Austalian Country Style via Brown Button 3 Coastal Living 4 Atlanta Bartlett 5 Living etc 6 Country Home 7 & 8 Pure Public 9 Inside Out 10 Miranda Watchorn 11 Tara Dennis 12 Unknown 13 Andreas von Einsiedel 14 Mark Williams 15 Pure Public 16 Charlie Drevstam

It's nice to dream isn't it?

Hope you enjoyed sharing my dream.

Best wishes,

Come inside

2009-06-23T05:32:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a grand old dame - a beautiful old Queenslander home. A home of with a long history no doubt, treated with love and care.

Love this day bed, the beautiful panelled walls, the interesting branch-ey piece on the wall.

A place to settle and enjoy the view...

Some natives branches to greet you at the door...

Isn't it gorgeous? And you haven't even seen inside yet! For more of this beautiful, classic Australian home, and the adorable looking family who live here, click here.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Best wishes,

Some photos around my home

2009-06-22T03:57:00.000-07:00

Hello ladies! (I'm assuming it's all ladies who read my blog - but if there's any men out there, make yourself known by dropping me a comment!)

I hope you all had a lovely weekend.

I had a quiet day yesterday. I really savour my time alone, so it was a good day! I spent some of this quiet time catching up with a lot of blogs I hadn't had time to visit for a while. Then I took some photos of some new things around my home.

First up, I've finally managed to photograph my son's new driftwood sailboats from White Flower Farmhouse. They normally sit in his room, but I needed some natural light for the shot so I put them in my bedroom. I have to admit I'm liking them here! Hope you are reading this and admiring your handiwork Megan!

Here are some old apothecary jars I found in an antique shop and had to buy. Oops, they need a clean! In front of them is a little sand dollar.

In this photo below is my 110 million year old accessory! It is an ammonite fossil. I love its shape and texture and I find it completely intriguing to think of where it came from and how ancient it is. It's sitting in my bathroom now.

One of the blogs I caught up on the weekend is Erin Ferucci's blog - Designs 4 Living. I really like Erin's style and she shows lots of fabulous shops and insider's places in LA. So if you haven't visited Erin's site yet, click on the blog header below. Be prepared to spend a little while there because you'll be hooked!

I also want to say a big thank you to all the kind and generous people who leave comments on my blog or email me. Some of them make me laugh, some move me to tears and through it all you bring joy to my day!

Thank you, lovelies!

Best wishes,

Current book obsession

2009-06-18T04:11:00.000-07:00

Not only am I obsessed with home decorating and design magazines, I also love books dedicated to the same subject. I have quite a few at home, and also have a rather large 'wishlist' of more that I want to buy.

I love finding a quiet moment to pick out a favourite home decorating book out of my collection, then poring over the pictures and being inspired by the design.

Here are some beautiful pictures from one my very favourite books, Coastal Style.

The book has many interior and exterior images of seaside homes.

I just love this idea below....a group of white feathers loosely bound by an old rope.

I wonder if this painting is an old thriftshop lucky find....

What a great way to show a collection of beach pebbles. Sea glass would look fantastic too.

Coral and shells in a large glass jar....be still my beating heart!

This little boat looks like its sailed around the world a few times....

If you like these photos, you should stop what you are doing right now and go buy this book! It is filled with so many more beautiful images. The photography is by the talented Paul Massey, whose own beautiful home I posted recently, here.

Best wishes,