Fashion Friday: Diagonals

New favourite dress! The hem is shorter at the front and there is lots and lots of fabric. It feels as though I am floating as I move. It is another beauty from ModCloth and I have already had lots of wear out of it.


Speaking of ModCloth, did you know they now stock wallpaper? It is the peel and stick type which sounds appealing because you can remove it easily if you need a change. Have you ever tried this kind of wallpaper? I imagine it is similar to wall decals.

Have yourselves a beautiful weekend! I will be celebrating Robbie's birthday again with friends and family. I haven't organised a big bash like last year's circus party but I bet he'll have fun.

Dress: ModCloth
Temporary wallpaper (clockwise from top left): Sprig to Mind in Teal, Albemarle Street, Argyll Street

PS. Forgive me for posting on Saturday again

Two years old

My little heart. Happy second birthday.

You have grown into quite the handsome little boy. You are cheeky and smart. You make popping sounds when you blow kisses and you dance by wriggling your little bottom. You say 'See you later! See you tomorrow!' when I leave for work even though I will be straight back home afterwards and you make me laugh when you call me 'the mummy' and your auntie 'uncle dimi'.

I read somewhere that along with motherhood comes an understanding of what true love is. I understand it. I totally understand it. I love you Robert to the moon and back. Happy birthday.

Paint and paper

Last week I mentioned a kitchen project I have been helping with. I have also been helping to choose paint colours for the brand new home.

The dutchess satin paint from Porters Paints in French Silver is going to look great on the wall behind the bar. It gets a lot of natural light in that area and will play off nicely with the stainless steel in the kitchen nearby.

Dulux Tranquil Retreat is for a large curved wall in the living area, Brume (1/4) for the walls and Brume (1/2) for the bedrooms. Also for the bedrooms I have suggested the above papers but we are not too sure at this stage if we'll go ahead with wallpaper. I love them both so much.

Am I having fun in the land of paint and paper? You bet. How has your weekend been?

(Image 2: ferm living Image 3: Catherine Martin wallpaper from Porters Paints)

Fashion Friday: A birthday party

I think my Fashion Friday posts are becoming Fashion Saturday, sorry. I hope your week has been a little less crazy than mine!

I wore this dress to a birthday party last week. It felt good to dress up and do my hair and makeup. My son was also looking particularly handsome with a new jacket and a straw fedora.

There were a lot of other kids at the party and lots of food and games. I love to watch him play and have fun. One of my favourite things in the world is when he stops whatever he is doing and races towards me to give me a cuddle. My heart becomes twice the size.

Doily table runner

I am pretty sure my classmates think I am odd each time I suggest incorporating a doily into a school project. Truth is I have a whole stack of crocheted ones and I would like to do something nice with them.

When Belinda posted her project doily series, I was happy there was someone else thinking of things to do with doilies. I have a stack of paper ones too that are crying out for a project. I'm tempted to try her stars come Christmas.

In the meantime, this table runner is looking like a contender for my crocheted ones.

(Ashley Ann Photography via The Sweet Occasion)

Toddler room

Robbie's new bedroom is coming along so slowly. I have been collecting ideas but I am hesitant to actually buy the bed because the room is on the small side and it means his tepee has to be packed away. He loves his tepee.

On a brighter note I am helping my friend plan her nursery. I am so happy for her!



We are going for a fresh colour scheme in whites. I am thinking a hint of this ferris paper from ferm living (for example, framed or the lining the inside of a cabinet) and one of these cushions will add a bit of fun without overdosing on colour.

(Imageg 1, new lamp shade from ada & darcy which I wrote about over at lustable, Image 2 & 3 ferm living)

Lustable

I have some good news to share with you! I have joined the Lustable team as a contributing editor. I am in good company too with fellow contributors Imelda, Lady Smaggle, Super Kawaii Mama and Lady Melbourne.

I will sharing my shopping finds in both home wares and fashion, starting with this $150 challenge.

Speaking of shopping, these babies (the heels) have made their way to my home over the weekend.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Fashion Friday: White

I have a few more ruffles in my wardrobe thanks to this new top and a new bedroom chair. The chair was delivered today (by a rather handsome man) and I wanted to take some nice photos of it to share with you but I have noticed that when my camera battery is running low it takes overexposed photographs. White on white makes it hard to see how beautiful this chair really is in person. I'll try again another time.

So what's the plan this weekend my friends?

Top: Sportsgirl Old jeans: Nobody Shoes: Asos Chair: Shack!

White and wood

If I were to redo my kitchen I would add to it natural wood, most likely in the form of shelving. The contrast between clean smooth white bench tops and the texture of the wood goes together beautifully.

For the kitchen project I am helping out with we have been looking at the different coatings that can be put onto wood veneers. I think we will be going ahead with a sandblasted finish which means you can feel the textured surface of the wood as opposed to applying a gloss finish which will make the surface smooth. The kitchen will be a mixture of wood and white which is lovely.

(Image Livingetc)

Veneers

I have been in a world of veneers lately helping with a kitchen project (not for my home). These are some of the veneer samples I have collected from New Age Veneers, a company I found through my friend Crystal. The veneer is for the island bench which will contrast nicely with the white cabinetry against the wall.



Stripey veneers are my favourites and the Antique Oak sample works best I think with the space and the paint colours being considered. Add to it a white benchtop, three Tolix stools under the bench and lighting above the island (right) and in the dining area (right).

Makes me wish I could redesign my kitchen.

(Lighting from Interiors Online)

Handmade paper pendant lights

I dragged a friend out with me the other day to do some shopping and popped into Papaya where I came across these Kami (which a little research tells me is Japanese for paper) pendant lights. Each one is handmade using Japanese rice paper. I will be honest I couldn't keep my eyes off their crumpled organic shape.

I have been looking for ideas for lighting above the dining area in my home and will keep this one in mind as I keep searching.

Have you seen any lighting you like lately?

(Image taken by me with permission)

Fashion Friday: The $10 dress

I meant to write a Fashion Friday post yesterday but ran out of time. Is it still Friday somewhere in the world?

I found this dress earlier in the week and love the way the skirt swirls when I spin as well as the florals on black. I wrote a post about black and florals roughly this time last year. My favourite feature is the low back. The price was pretty good too.

Are you enjoying your weekend?

A playroom

Leah of Little Maison shared with me photos of her daughter's playroom and I was excited to see hanging on the walls a vintage chandlier print and handmade butterfly tree from my store. The vintage rattan chair looks like a great place for Leah and her daughter to curl up together and read a book (love the high back).

Thanks Leah for sharing with me!

PS. If you are after a butterfly tree in particular colours let me know and I can custom make one for you. Otherwise please keep an eye out on the store as I'll have a few more up by the end of the week. Thanks!

Yellow front door

I'm hooked on front doors painted in bright colours. These days whenever I come across an image in a magazine of a brightly painted front door I tear it out. I have quite the collection happening!

Brightly painted entrances are something I again don't seem to come across often in Sydney. Maybe I need to be more observant? Most front doors I see are either stained wood or white (or another similar 'safe' colour).

Today's chosen colour to show you is soft yellow on these rough and worn doors shot by photographer Anna Kern.

Breeze blocks

I haven't seen many of these concrete blocks around Sydney which is why it was nice to see them used both inside and out in the Tierney Watson house designed by Greg Natale in the latest issue of Belle magazine.

I think they give homes a retro, resort style feel and remind me of the entrance to the Parker in Palm Springs (middle), the indoor screen in a home designed by Philip Galanes that I have had bookmarked (bottom), mid-century architecture, the beach, sun, water, hammocks, lying by the pool, margaritas... please excuse me while I daydream.

(Top image: photography by Anson Smart, design by Greg Natale via Australian Design Review)

Isabelle Abramson Ceramics

I stumbled across Isabelle Abramson Ceramics and became lost in the delicate cutouts of the porcelain bowls. My favourite bowl is the top image with the platinum detail. Oh, if only they were closer to my price range. They are very beautiful.

I am also inspired by the styling in these photographs and the contrast of the smooth fragile porcelain with the old rough and worn wood.

(Images Isabelle Abramson Ceramics)