I am in love with summer in Australia. The sun was out today and I could not resist taking a few photos, in the sand, no beach towel, just lying in the sun. I want summer to last forever. I am wearing swimwear from Zimmermann as a top, a Sportsgirl skirt, thin belt and bangles that belong to my sister. I am sure she has been wondering where they went to so I am sort of "outing" myself in this post. I visited one of my most favourite places again today, The Boat House in Palm Beach. I loved the colours of the summer fruits on display. I remember as a child I hated the taste of pineapple. As an adult it is one of my favourite fruits. Flowers for sale. Pink champagne. Mangoes. Can you see why I love it so much?
Do you have a favourite place you like to visit in summer?
 Christmas is magical with children. I had long forgotten the excitement of Christmas Eve and waiting for Santa but now I am experiencing it all over again with Robert. He received many gifts including this toy train set (from IKEA) and it has become a new favourite.
I have really enjoyed having nothing to do these last few days. I am so used to rushing around from work to class to home and it is nice to just relax. No assignments due. No deadlines. It feels pretty good! And the weather is lovely too so we took a trip to Huskisson, a beautiful beachside location (with no 3G coverage!).
How have you been spending your holidays? Or are you back at work?
PS. I'm still taking a little break away to spend time with my boy but you will notice a few small changes here on ish and chi in the meantime as I work on the blog design. Hope you like it. See you back here for more regular posting soon.
Merry Christmas, friends! I hope you enjoyed the 12 Days Before Christmas series and a big thank you to my guests.
I have taken a little trip away with my boy and family to a beautiful beachside location. It is lovely here and so nice to relax after a busy year. It is filling me with energy and I am almost ready for the year ahead. Thank you for your kind words and friendship over the years. I hope you have a lovely Christmas where you are in the world. Enjoy and smile!
PS. These images are of the only decorating that I managed to do this year. A cluster of wire lampshades fixed to the ceiling and decorated. Something a little different and so easy to do!
Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 12.
Phoebe lives in Melbourne and has a keen eye for vintage style. She writes almost daily showcasing Melbourne fashion, tips on etiquette and documents various Australian fashion events. And her photography is beautiful.
I asked Phoebe:
What are your tips for what to wear to a corporate, casual or cocktail Christmas party?
The number one tip what ever the dress code is that you have to be comfortable. If you have heels too high, straps that won't stay put or a hem line with a mind of it's own then you won't be able to relax and have a good time. Throw alcohol into the mix and you can see where this is heading!
If you don't think you can last the night in heels then quite simply, don't wear them. There are so many pretty options for ballet flats or jewelled sandals that you can be comfortable but confidently stylish.
Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 11.
Nicole Balch has been working on making on her home lovely for her family and documenting the creative process and results on her website Making It Lovely. She has been an inspiration of mine for many years and I am so honoured to have her visiting ish and chi today.
Through the years Nicole's family has grown and her blog not only documents the changes to her home but also her family. It is such a delight following along her journey.
I asked Nicole:
Do you have any tips for people, such as myself, who plan to tackle home renovation projects during the holiday season?
Any time you're taking on a renovation, but especially during a busy holiday season, you have to embrace the chaos. Just give in to the craziness a little, or you'll be fighting a losing battle! Nobody would expect the rest of your home to be spotless, the kitchen to be in perfect working order, or for anything to be done on schedule, so why self-inflict that pressure? I always go into projects hoping for the best, but realistically expecting things to take longer than estimated and be messier than expected, so I'm not surprised when those things inevitably happen!
Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 10.
Marianne is originally from London and now lives in Melbourne. She is the author of a beautiful fashion and beauty blog called Esme and the Laneway. Have you read it? If not you must as it's full of gorgeous vintage style and fashion inspiration. And her photography is beautiful. I feel as though I am transported back in time whenever I read her blog.
I asked Marianne:
What are some of your most favourite party season hairstyles?
Here are some images on my favourite party hair for this year!
The most recent pics on my blog are of my hair at the moment, and how I am enjoying wearing it.
The picture of me in the pink blouse is hair for a family gathering + last minute friends party, following a day of painting (hence the green background!) – no time but something fun.
I love vintage hair from a few eras, and my favourites at the moment are the 1930s and 1940s!
Marianne, thank you so much!
Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 9.
Julie Palmer is the author of Olive & Joy and owner of the beautiful online homewares store by the same name. Julie's style is pure with a mid-century modern aesthetic that I was drawn to very early on in her writing.
Julie has recently given birth to her first child and wanted to congratulate her and also sincerely thank her for contributing to this 12 Days Before Christmas series when she was only weeks away from giving birth!
I asked Julie:
What are your top picks for homewares to give others (or ourselves!) this Christmas?
I’m absolutely in love with this photograph, isn’t it incredibly beautiful? Perfect for the art or animal lover in the family and affordable too as you can select the size you want according to your budget.
An absolute design classic, even after 70 years. Who wouldn’t want to wake up to find a Savoy vase under the tree.
Brilliant for the tech-savvy husband/brother/father/friend. There are no electrical cables or components, you simply download the analogue clock app, feed through your phone charger and pop in your iPhone.
I may be biased but I just love our Triangle cushion. Random hand-cut triangle pattern printed by hand onto 100% natural linen using eco-friendly inks. Comfy, stylish and good for the environment.
The first book 50/60/70 by Karen McCartney has pride of place on the bookshelf of many a design fiend around the country (including mine) so this one is perfect to add to the collection.
How adorable is this photo of a child playing with an all natural wooden rainbow toy? So cute. I like to be a bit old-school when it comes to kids gifts – and this one looks good in your stylish home too!
Julie, thank you so very much!
Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 8.
Kirsten is an Interior Decorator living in Boise, Idaho and author of design blog Simply Grove. Simply Grove is another one of the first blogs I started reading and Kirsten is an absolute gem.
It is impossible to not be inspired when visiting Simply Grove from Kirsten's home projects to the beautiful interiors and decorating projects that she writes about. There is lots there to spark off a creative idea or two.
I asked Kirsten:
How will you be decorating your home for the holiday season?
This year, I went very family friendly whimsical. A few years ago, my Uncle gave me a collection of wooden ornaments from Holland.
There are little children, soldiers, angels and drummer boys represented. I added some homemade and fabric ornaments with the wooden ornaments on my tree.
The mantel is a woodland treat, complete with animals, mini trees, white village buildings and white ceramics.
I have splashes of red and white around the house as well as handmade snow globes that my daughter and I DIY'd. (Ikea has the cutest red and white holiday candles right now! Pictured) I love traditional elements mixed in with modern and whimsical. It creates such a fun family scene!
I have a few ideas in the works right now. One involving wallpaper!!!
Kirsten, thank you so much for sharing with us!
(Images Simply Grove)
Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 7.
Leslie Shewring lives in Canada and loves colour so much she has a website called A Creative Mint dedicated to her photography of colour schemes as well as her various creative projects.
I know by visiting Leslie's blog that I will be inspired to paint, craft, style, create and surround myself with colour. There are lots of ideas to take away from her projects. And have you seen her column on decor8 - Color Me Pretty?
I asked Leslie:
What colours do you see us being drawn to in 2012?
I think bright bold colors like cobalt blue, clean lemon, and orange reds, will still be going strong into 2012. Pantone believes the "it" color will be Tangerine, which is a pretty fun color to try out. I tend to experiment with a color in fashion first, maybe a Tangerine cardigan or a little nail polish if I am unsure! Then, if I love the color after wearing it for a little while I may try some of that tone in my house, just a small amount at a time.
Adding these "pops" of bold color seems to be the way to go in 2012. I would not wear them head to toe, nor would I paint an entire room in Tangerine. Rather, think about inexpensive and non-committal ways of bringing color into your home and wardrobe to update your look. A bright screen-printed cushion cover, an interesting piece of colorful art from Etsy, or maybe some new little bowls in a bright pattern to display on an open shelf. Same with clothing, maybe try out a belt, some bangles or beads in a new color. Simple ways to dabble and play in bright bold colors that you may normally shy away from.
Thank you, Leslie!
(Images by Leslie Shewring)
Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 6.
 Jennifer Ramos is a graphic designer, author of MadeByGirl and owner of an online store by the same name. She has bucket loads of style and her blog inspires me regularly, in particular for the home tours that she posts but more recently for the DIY statement necklace tutorial she shared. Tempted to give it a try.
Jen has a keen eye for art and creates her own as well for her store Cocoa & Hearts. I asked Jen:
Your artwork is beautiful and it is wonderful to see you showcase other artists on MadeByGirl. Who is your favourite artist at the moment?
I love Lana Gomez. Her artwork is so colorful & eye catching! The first time I really noticed her work was when I saw it on the wall in Kelly Wearstler's office. I remember thinking, whoever painted that is genius. Little did I know it was a woman & she's gorgeous as well. Beauty & brains….
Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 5.
She is a freelance writer, author of The Happy Home blog, contributor to Kidspot, queen crafter and mum of three. How she does it all, I have no idea! Her blog is full of beautiful craft ideas, creative projects to do with kids and all things related to creating a lovely happy home. Her blog is one of the first I read and loved (before The Happy Home she was the author of a blog called renovate+decorate) and I became hooked on all her decorating projects. It has been fun following Belinda's journey over the years and she is as inspiring as she is lovely.  I asked Belinda: What are some simple craft / decoration projects you might suggest we try for this holiday season?
I love handmade touches at any time, but especially at Christmas! It just makes the holiday feel less commercial and a little more thoughtful. Just as you wouldn't (or shouldn't!) decorate your home by buying up big in just one store, a happy-feeling Christmassy space looks best with decorations collected over time or created with loved ones - stories and memories fill some of my baubles, my angel and childhood Christmas sack. This year, I'll be making all three kids little stockings and I hope when they're older they'll feel all the love that went into each stitch (and no doubt frustrations and curses that come when I sew!!!). Even if your decorations don't last longer than one Christmas, making them each year is part of the fun - I love sitting with my kids and making things, even if they're just cutting the sticky tape or pasting with the glue. I'm also big on using what you have at home already. And if you look closely, you'll see that you actually have a heap of different things in your kitchen and desk drawers you can use to create beautiful decorations. You might have to spend a couple of dollars on a few things like foam hoops or balls or glitter if you don't have them lying around already, but generally, anything can be used. I've even used toilet paper rolls before! Here are 5 cheap and cheerful suggestions I've done in the past that cost practically nothing and one I'm dying to try this year.
 Add a little bit of nature to your space
You don't have to hang ornaments just on a Christmas tree! I wrapped this branch in muslin and hung it on the wall above our couch then wound some fairy lights around the branches. It's up all year round, but looks particularly pretty at Christmas time with a select few ornaments hanging from it. The paper chain is our advent calendar - each paper ring has a (badly) rhyming treasure hunt on it for the kids. We're still debating whether or not to get a real Christmas tree this year, or just stand this one up in a pot instead!
 Book page wreath
Seriously, a store in Sydney sells these for $250. I bought a $2 foam wreath and that was it! It took a couple of hours, but worth it, I think!
 Glitter vasesTemporary sparkle for your Christmas table - a bit of glue and glitter can transform jam jars, vases or drinking glasses into glam table settings. And by soaking them in hot, soapy water, they'll easily go back to being their normal selves.
 Hanging lantern centrepiece Hang your table centrepiece to free up space on the table - this one is so light it can be taped to the ceiling with masking tape. Why so light? They're made from toilet paper rolls!!
 Doily snowflakesI loved the look of these last year so am going to make some more this year - maybe hang them in front of the window this time. They're so easy to make and quite effective, if I do say so myself!  I'm going to try...
These simple brass tack balls. Aren't they pretty? They look like sequins and I'm very much in love with sparkle and gold at the moment.
Images by The Happy Home
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