Happy New Year!

images via here & here

Happy New Year!  Here's hoping you are doing it Mad Men style (but perhaps without the cigarettes).  If you haven't indulged in this show, do so when you can.  Don Draper (the lead character) is a dish! Set in the late 50's/early 60's this series is very impressive. In his world of advertising he often wants to know what women want.  Well Don Draper, we want you!

See you in 2011.

Happy Christmas!

image via LivingEtc

Happy holidays! Stay safe and enjoy the twinkling lights and your families and friends.  Happy Christmas to you.  x 

Wreaths and decs

image via here

Nice wreath!

A lovely friend gave me this gorgeous Eco Deco Kit from Polli in sunshine yellow (lucky for me she knew I loved yellow).  Each kit comes with 30 decorations some red twine to string it together. Another friend has it in red and they have blue too!  Something for everyone.  Check out their other decorations like this acyrlic wreath and the love dove card pack.  Nice, very nice. 

image via Polli

Blank canvas

image via Remodelista

Here's a blank canvas for decoration... if I had the opportunity and the right decorations I'd put lots of pressed metal antique decorations and with a hint of yellow on there.   Or maybe a bit of turquoise and orange.  Or even the traditional red and white.  So many options...

Friday stuff

image via thestylefiles

Danish loveliness via The Style Files. Very pretty and is that an antler cut out of the shot?

We took a trip to IKEA today which was very brave considering the time of year. Still we came home with a thing or two that we probably didn't need.  Isn't that always the way when you step in there? 

I was taken with this IKEA 'hook thing' though... Sprallig - perfect for any antler lover!

As featured in use here on Apartment Therapy.

More shopping tomorrow... only 8 days to go! Have a good weekend. x

Christmas antlers

image via Style Files via Pickles

I couldn't resist... antlers, felt and a garland, that is excellent decorating!  Don't we love it when it all comes together in one.  Happy Thursday - 9 days to go!

Scandi Decs

Images via Remodelista via here and here

Here are some sweet decorations Scandi-style.  I hope you are all well and truly decorated for the year and if not then I hope these get you going as you are running out of time!  Only 10 days to go.  Blimey!

Paris chic

Image via The Sartorialist

So French, so chic, so effortless and so lovely! I'm loving that hair. Viva la France!

Simple Prettiness

images via Sunday Suppers

Pretty huh?  And a bit of colour for an event (or two separate ones in fact). I like the simplicity of consistency. 

Christmas is getting closer now.  Eeek... and I still have quite a bit of shopping to achieve and planning to put in place so I'll keep this short.  I'm off to the shops, online and otherwise!

It's cold in Jistrum

Images via Anth

My lovely, lovely cousin and his family live in Jistrum in The Netherlands.  I was blown away by the beauty of the snow in these shots.  He assures me that although it's pretty cold, the beauty makes up for it.  I love that Aussie optimistic spirit!

I am hankering for a white Christmas and despite this looking a little chilly, I'd still love to be there with them. Merry Christmas to you my kind and gentle cousin and to your gorgeous family too.  x

HobArt

How beautiful is Hobart?  I had a little trip to there on the weekend and stumbled across The Market an independent art and design outdoor market.  It was fabulous and what a find.  I bought some things just for me (as well as a few pressies too).  A couple of honourable mentions. Firstly Dick and Dora make some gorgeous acrylic brooches, necklaces and Christmas decorations. So I picked up a few and will show them once I have set the table for Christmas.  The table is something that I've been agonising over for awhile but inspiration has finally struck me now thanks to them.

sashikodesign had a range of gorgeous designed bags made by incorporating Japanese textiles.  Each bag has a limited run and the designer Kiyomi was lovely (and helpful about making the right purchase).  The deliberation was killing me.

I stayed at the fabulous Henry Jones Art Hotel is located on the waterfront in Hobart.  It was Australia's first art hotel and has won numerous awards and is often rated in the Conde Nast Top 100 Hotels in the World. 

You get such an amazing sense of history in Hobart everywhere you go.  The views from Hobart over the Derwent River are beautiful and it feels like everyone that lives there has one! 

A bit of wow for a Saturday

Images via Contemporist - see here for more

Haven't I just been the avid online world traveller this week (mmmm...atador)?

My lovely friend and lover of all things 'wowhowspeccy' (a new term coined which means 'admiration of the wow') pointed me in the direction of the Contemporist.  My first foray into this site of loveliness was this beauty in Brazil, by the architectural firm grupoSP.  A library containing 7,500 items! 

I'll say it and say it again... wow!  Thanks Ton.

Fjäll @ Falls

Snow, luxurious accommodation and antlers, three of my favourite things! Fjäll combines them all and happens to be conveniently located within Australia at Falls Creek, Victoria.  Granted it is the third day of Summer, but a girl can dream right?

Have a good weekend!

España-tastic

image via here

I must have a bit of Spain on my mind this week.  Check out this beauty by Marià Castelló arquitecte on the Formentera Island, Spain.  Very simplistic but very nice or should I say very simpático! I imagine this is where matadors hang out to chill out after all that bull-fighting, rush of blood-to-the-head, manly stuff.

Bravo!

Things of paper and card

Images via here

Ok, so some people do really clever things with paper, card and other bits and bobs.  The first two have been collaborated with my little event design crush David Stark.  Simple, lovely and no doubt extremely complicated.  The little kraft animals are just too cute!  I want some.

Matador Tuesday

via The Sartorialist

Happy Tuesday! 

Here's a bit of matador action from Madrid via The Sartorialist. 

Gracias mis amigos. 

Sixx Design

images via Black Eiffel

Sixx Design, where to start?  I first came across them in Living etc magazine a couple of years ago with an amazing property in New York to fit themselves and 6 kids (although they now have 7).  It even had its own rooftop basketball court.  Since then they have launched their own show in the States called 9 by Design.  I do own their book Downtown Chic which features lots of the amazing properties they have designed and developed.  These images are from one of their personal holiday houses.  Now that's what I call a house for kids!  If that trampoline was a bit closer to the pool you could bounce right in.   

Effalumps

One word... magnifique!  These elephants were created by Petersham Nurseries in Surrey, UK. 

Ohhhhh yeah.  Have a  good weekend.

Decorations

Today we received a beautiful unexpected thank you gift with three bauble decorations in beautiful matching shades with our intials on them. It honestly brought tears to my eyes. It's those sorts of decorations that make you think of the people that gave them to you when you put them up each year. We have one special one that we have been putting up every year since we received it and the beautiful lady that gave it to us has since passed away. It's the memories that these decorations create that are so special.

I love that each year the collection grows and we find ourselves going "remember this?" or "you loved this one as a baby".  And when the little "I still do" comes back at you, it melts your heart.

A girlfriend and I regularly exchange one little decoration to add to our treasured collections. Each has been thoughtfully selected each year. I am still to find the perfect one for this year.

How gorgeous are these Where the Wild Things Are christmas decorations?  I saw them last year and I am still kicking myself about not buying them online from Urban Outfitters.  Ah bless, this won't be the end of my Christmas love-posts.

Oh yeah... they're back!

via Remodelista

Ok, go on... admit it, you've been missing the antlers haven't you?  Here's a friendly version that I thought I would share with you.  And no animals were ill-treated in the process of obtaining these sticks. 

Cherish those you love

Today I stumbled on this sad posting about a woman who lost her 17 year old son to a car accident.   Please feel free not to read this one if you don't have the strength for a Monday.  But the take home message is to cherish the moments that we have. x

It's beginning to look like...

It seems I've been a bit slap-dash with erratic postings. So where have I been? 

Firstly, I'm still getting over the joy that is a new office away from home.  I never thought that there would be such a separation between home and work but it seems I have found an instant way to sever the ties.  And it's fabulous!   Finally I am happy to be home on the weekends rather than finding any way to get out and do something different.  People always specualte that it must be hard to work from home admist all of the domestic distractions, but I have to say that I never really felt that.  If you are busy enough you just don't have time to think about the rest of the chaos.  And when I wasn't as busy I really only procrastinated in my office or out of the house as I felt this incessant bizarre need to be in my office when in the house.  Now when I get home if there's work to be done it is done and if there isn't, my office is a space that I don't wish to enter or feel the need to be in.  The pooch however, might have a differing view.

All of my events over for the year means that I can get myself organised for next year, 2012 and beyond before taking a well-earned break for Christmas.  And I love Christmas!  The decorations, the traditions, the BBQs, the parties, the fact that most people are on holidays and the yummy food.  Today we are putting up our tree due to a small nagging request.  Still, once the lights are on and the decorations are up it will start to feel like we are on the way to eating, drinking, snoozing, reading and entertaining.  Bring it on!

Now I know our tree won't look like this, but you know I love a cold climate and one day I'll do the white Christmas thing.  And my smile will be from ear to ear.

image via

Graffiti art

 I'm a big fan of graffiti art.  I find it amazingly intricate and vibrant.  Here is a local urban find that is just tickety-boo!

Horsey bike

via here 

I have a friend who loves horses.  I'm not sure that she loves bikes, but if it were a horsey bike then maybe she might just feel the need to ride with the wind blowing through her hair helmet.  Horsey, by Eungi Kim is very naff and don't we love a bit of naff!

A few pencils

David Stark, the NY event guru, puts on some spectacular events that obviously have matching budgets.  This one was held for art patrons and each guest received a post-it note and some pencils to doodle on during the night.  A gazillion pencils (16,000 to be precise) were used for the event and the time it must have taken for them to set up and install is phenomenal.  I am in awe of this man and his creativity (and his client budgets).