Wow... what an absence!

image via here

image via here

What is my inspiration of the moment?  Yup, you guessed it.  A bit of yellow and grey.  Can't get enough of it!  Yellow, mustard, gold, grey, charcoal or slate... I love it all. 



Tree House

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Now that's a tree house!

Wow... what a cake or two!

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This cake is so pretty.  I'm in birthday cake mode for boys, but I have been distracted of late with Pinterest (like everyone other blogger).  This one is stunning and there are so many more that make my eyes hurt from straining.  And what about this one?  Stunning and styled beautifully by Mary & Gabrielle Events & Design.  Young, talented and SA based. 

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Ooh yeah

It's been awhile since I've been on the yellow-popping love bandwagon.  So roll on today's favourites...

Image via here

image via here

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Kids rooms

images via here and here

What's not to love about this concept.  Not only do I love a bit of yellow, blue and grey but I am loving this concept of room sharing.  I love this and would love to do this in the beach house I don't own yet for when there are multiples of kids.  Sure the beds might be hard to make but surely the kids can do that right?

Boat House

image via here

Here's a nice post from Remodelista about The Boat House in Sydney. Looks good for lunching... who's up for a date?

Shower frills

image via Anthropologie

How pretty is this?  The colours are amazing.

French Farmhouse

image via here

I haven't been to France yet, but it seems to play on my mind a fair bit.  I'm thinking that "one must go".  Check out this gorgeous farm house via The Style Files.  I think you like me will be ready to pack your bags and check into something similar.

To Zumba or not to Zumba

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Ever feel like breaking with the crowd just because you can?  Or forgetting which way you are supposed to be going in a group?  I have been pondering the Zumba craze of late.  Hasn't it taken off like hotcakes as the senior citizens would say.  I'm no dance aficionado so I'm sure this would be me in a class.  Not that I find it distressing to be described as "one of those kids is doing his own thing" but I do find it quite annoying to be left flailing at something that I know I should never have embarked on in the first place.  I've done a little tap before and although I was clearly out of my depth (the terrible teacher didn't help but I did have excellent back-up support from a clearly dance-talented friend). I found that with a little "breaking it down" I could eventually master the tip-tap, click-clack that was supposed to be coming from my feet.  Sure, a little practice at Zumba and I'd be a salsa-shaking, fat-burning goddess, but I just don't know that I'm willing to start and regret my decision the minute my hips go in the opposite direction from my coordinated classmates.  I'll think I'll ponder it some more and look into tap lessons again.

Bison

Gorgeous... have you been to Bison in Canberra?  Such beautiful colours in the ceramics.  I wanted to buy the whole lot and display on mass at home.  A lovely, lovely friend of mine bought be a stunning raspberry coloured piece years ago as a present and I have been meaning to get there ever since.  Their products are stocked all over the world, but there is nothing like seeing them like this.  The colours are divine and I had a lovely time just soaking it in.

Worth a mention also is the National Gallery of Australia.  My sweet Canberran friend describes it passionately as "a gift to all Australians".  Perfectly said.  I love how much we as Australians love our home towns and sell them and their assets to all that will listen.  I know I am guilty of this too.  Perhaps if you don't like where you are, get out and speak to others and find out exactly what it is they love about it that you might not have discovered yet.

The National Gallery is such a stunning place.  Not just the art within it but also the building design.  Canberra is certainly not short of stunning gifts for all Australians.  It is well worth a visit and remember if you haven't been, don't knock it!

Antlers = love

image via style-files

It's been awhile hasn't it?  But the antler love-in is back on.  Thanks to Nozz for steering me in the direction of this post about a cosy Norwegian home from The Style Files as I've been too busy to blog or catch up on those I love.  I'm loving the timber, the texture, the furs, the rustic-industrial and the ANTLERS!

Silence

Silence is golden, but disappearing acts are just a little bit weird!  Lately I've been so busy I'm not sure if I'm Arthur or Martha (as they say).  It's safe to say that I'm actually neither. 

How pertinent my little post about Japan seems now in the face of such adverstity.  It's heartbreaking.  I'm so very relieved that my lovely friends have managed to escape from Tokyo for a bit to get some sleep without the aftershocks.   

Tom Ford

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Tom Ford... a gorgeous, dapper man. No doubt he has a straight best friend, but a girl can dream. 

Stressed out!

Images via here

I'm stressed out!  Going out of my head stressed with that sick feeling that your insides are in knots and your head is about to explode.  So, the only option is to take me to the Maldives NOW.  I need you to book me straight into the Alila Villas Hadahaa.  I want that one on the water and I will not be taking my laptop or phone, just my family.  If you are coming too then please bring do not bring a phone or any form of communication or tell ANYONE where we are.

Pigeonhole

images via here

On the weekend I found a nice little antler necklace at Little Bird in Port Elliot.  After a quick two minute shop, I walked out with it around my neck.  Perfect!

Today I had a little look online at Pigeonhole the producers of my fabulous new bit of neckwear.  Have a good poke around their webstore and see what's on offer.  I am liking the jute baskets above.  Not that I need one.

New Zealand

There are so many reasons to love New Zealand - spectacular scenery, fantastic accents, great people and stunning snow.  This Air New Zealand safety demonstration video is aired on all Air NZ flights.  It's a winner and it really gets under your skin!

I wish more airlines would come up with such creativity.  Qantas currently start theirs off with a little greeting from John Travolta (as their International Ambassador), but it falls a little short. In honour of the amazing people of New Zealand, enjoy this little video.

Small things

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Sometimes it really is the little things that make you happy and pull you out of a glum mood.  A big congratulations to one of my oldest friends (although she is heading on in age... he he, what I really mean is a long-time and dearly-loved friend) who is expecting her third baby.  This is very exciting and makes me reminisce about a fantastic trip to Japan when her first baby was born nearly 9 years ago.   A fantastic place to visit and so addictive.  If you've been, you'll know what I mean.  Congrats to my Tokyo-ites, looking forward to meeting number three.

Sadness

I've been feeling a little emotional lately. 2011 has been tough on lots of fronts. So much natural disaster, heartache and massive change all around. Is this all part of a bigger plan? If so then I'm not sure I'm liking it much. Turmoil is hard to take. Maybe it's time to focus on the little things that can brighten a tough day. Simple messages of love either spoken or written or unexpected. Perhaps silly laughter with someone else at an inane joke or comedic situation or the comfort of a knowing smile between you and your child that assures you that you are both on the same page.

Today an earthquake shook and people are left wondering about loved ones that are missing, hurt or worse. Yet another scary day for friends and strangers in Christchurch. At some point this 'Mother Nature' madness has to stop for 2011. Let's hope that she has had enough so that people can be found easily. Stay safe. X

Elk

images via Elk Facebook

No doubt you may well be a fan of Elk Accessories like me, my mum and most of my friends.  How gorgeous are these shots of their studio in Preston, Victoria.  I am loving that elk antler on the dark wall. 

Read more also about Marnie from Elk via Daily Imprint and Design*Sponge.

I've got my eye on this new cicada clutch. 

  

Addition

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Here's a nice extension on a property in Sydney by Christopher Polly Architect via The Contemporist.   I love the lights and the feel of it on the back of a single-fronted cottage. 

Alila in Bali

It's been hard not to be obsessed with the news with so much tragedy striking Queensland at the moment.  Living in Cairns a long time ago I remember some great trips to Tully and an amazing sea kayaking trip out from Mission Beach.  It's also the first time I witnessed the bright green colour of the blood of a squashed cane toad, but that's a memory that perhaps needs to be erased.  Still we had a lot of fun back in the day when we were young, 21 and carefree.  To date it seems that Tully and Mission Beach have been greatly affected by TC Yasi and my heart goes out to the beautiful region in general.  Mother nature is a furious thing at times.

Perhaps it's time to think about a trip somewhere to rekindle our carefree days in a tropical location.  Girls, I'm sure you are up for a bit of avant garde adventure.  We could even contemplate bringing along our faithful skateboarding/mountain biking side-kick but he'd have to put on a face mask or two for old times sake.  So I thought it time to post about some luxury accommodation in Bali that I was reminded of yesterday.  The Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali are stunning.  Anyone is welcome to come on the "Re-living Our Youth" trip... sign up here!

images via here

Summer

It's hot today, so very hot! I had forgotten how hot it can get in Adelaide. Where is that holiday house? Where is that pool? I know I left them somewhere.

Australia

 image en route to Port Douglas, Queensland

Aren't we the lucky country?  We have such amazing scenery, gorgeous beaches, stunning tropics, outback desert beauty and beautiful cities.  Also what's not to love about Australian's?  Our spirit, humour and ability to make the most of everything is what makes me proud to be an Australian. 

Oprah's recent visit certainly reaffirmed this sentiment.  The stunning footage beamed to the world impressed upon me how varied, large and stunning this country is.  In the first episode alone I realised that within the next couple of months I too will be heading to the Whitsundays to Hamilton Island and Uluru.  I'll be on my own version of the Oprah show without an audience or sadly, Hugh Jackman.   

Happy Australia Day!

Giraffes

image Thomas Herbrich via here

Lovely!

Isn't this the ultimate little boys adventure?  It reminds me of that lovely kids book Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae.  A gorgeous story about Gerald the Giraffe who is tall and awkward, but most of all sad because he can't dance. But Gerald discovers that everyone can dance, "when we find the music that we love" and he is an instant hit with his jungle friends.

Dapper

image via The Sartorialist

Dapper is a word I love to use.  How very dapper!

Wiktionary definition: dapper Adjective (comparative more dapper, superlative most dapper)

1. neat, trim
2. stylishly dressed, neatly dressed, spiffy (spiffy is also a very good word)

When I think of dapper or spiffy I think of lots of different people but the foremost in my mind is my lovely Grandpa.  A man of many ties, hats, suits and cardigans.  He always emulated a man that was neat, trim, stylishly dressed and most definitely dapper or spiffy or both!  Not only that but he was funny and loving and could belt out a great rendition of "What a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts".

Today in memory of him, I bring you spiffy and dapper.  May your day have a little of each.

Floods

It's hard to imagine the flood situation in Queensland at the moment.  I noted on someone's facebook status today telling their American friends that it was likened to imagining that Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee all completely under water.  With so much loss of life and damage to homes and infrastructure your heart really goes out to those affected - so many, many people.

This is what a client sent to me from Brisbane today "Thousands of homes are going under - it is heartbreaking to see - not just wet backyards but complete immersion. They have found a few more bodies in outer towns with over 60 people still missing. Southbank is under water, the floating restaurant we have in Milton has sunk, boats have crashed into bridges as they break their moorings, they have shut off power to the CBD, it is surreal."

Eerie and terrifying! 

image via The Advertiser of a tug in the flooding Brisbane River with buildings going under along the riverbank

Meh-hico

Fancy a night at the Riviera Maya Mexico Luxury Rosewood Condominiums Hotel? Located in Mexico’s breathtaking Yucatán peninsula, south of Cancún and just north of Playa del Carmen.  Viva Mexico!

Back to Mad Men

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Back to the brilliant Mad Men because I can't get enough!  This show is oozing with charisma.  I'm completely addicted and these holidays have been filled episode after episode.  The costuming is beautiful and here's a bit of an insight by the show's Costume Designer.  Check out also these cute paper dolls - thanks Rachy.

I'm loving this photo shoot done by Vanity Fair of the irresistable Mr and Mrs Draper.  Don and Betty to those in the know.  Could they be any more unattractive? 

images Vanity Fair via here