Monday 30 July 2012

on living




"I’m not telling you to make the world better, because I don’t think that progress is necessarily part of the package, I’m just telling you to live in it. Not just to endure it, not just to suffer it, not just to pass through it, but to live in it. To look at it. To try to get the picture. To live recklessly. To take chances. To make your own work and take pride in it. To seize the moment. And if you ask me why you should bother to do that, I could tell you that the grave’s a fine and private place, but none I think do there embrace. Nor do they sing there, or write, or argue, or see the tidal bore on the Amazon, or touch their children. And that’s what there is to do and get it while you can and good luck at it.”

-- Joan Didion,
in a commencement address at the University of California, Riverside, in 1975





Images found via herehere and here.

Monday 23 July 2012

art to ignite imaginations


When this image above popped up in my Instagram feed, my heart stopped for a second. What a magical room for a child to grow in, to play, explore, rest their head and slumber. What amazing dreams that wall of art would inspire (not to mention that straight-out-of-a-fairytale doll house). Taken by Ryan Marshall, photographer and author of the awesome blog Pacing the Panic Room, this is the bedroom of his daughter Tessa. And what a lucky, lucky girl she is.

I often like to ponder ways I can add to, tinker with and rearrange Lila and Rose's room and while they already have some art in there, of course this sparked a whole new enthusiastic search over on Etsy for whimsical, story book-esque prints to create a gallery wall for them. Images they will remember all their lives, which will ignite their little imaginations and send their minds racing with thoughts of far away lands, friendly creatures and adventures to be embarked upon.

Here is a selection of some of the prints that have made it on to my wish list..







Musicians of Bremen // Prairie Home // The Wayfarers // Hot Air Balloons // Feathers // Mon jardin secret 


Monday 16 July 2012

a bit of britannia


 

Being so far away, it's easy to get all nostalgic about England...those green fields, pretty little villages, country lanes (and pubs of course) and hedges. I really miss hedgerows. Even big old London town and all those red buses, the hustle and bustle and all our old haunts in Wimbledon. Although the reality isn't quite so rosy at the moment what with the wettest summer for many, many years and bad economic times- I know if we still living there right now I would be wishing, planning, scheming how we could get to Australia!- I still find myself subconsciously gravitating towards Britannia themed trinkets and bits and pieces to make our house feel like a home.

A great place to get a fix is at the online store The Shop at Number 57, the brainchild of the British interior stylist Marie Nichols and her graphic designer husband Simon. They have curated a gorgeous collection of items ranging from cute cross stitch kits to printed cushions and vintage wall hangings and charts. I've got my eye on one of the vintage school maps for the girls bedroom. They may not be living there but they were both born in the UK and you bet I'm going to make sure they know their British geography!

Here are a few of my favourite items, check out the shop to see lots more...



        

Large ceramic button // Travel- London Waterloo print // 1960's British Isles wall chart // Her Royal Majesty cross stitch kit // Vintage apothecary glass bottles // Vintage botanical school poster


Monday 2 July 2012

just a minute in june


A few snapshots and a little update of what's been happening in these parts during the past month:

Buying...At the more exciting end of the spectrum, some beautiful new ankle boots. Slightly more mundane: a couple of heaters and a tumble drier because it is so cold here at the moment and we were growing extremely tired of having a freezing cold house and clothes which we could never get dry.

Enjoying...My 29th birthday this weekend. It was the first birthday for which I've had a proper celebration in a few years (when babies come along their birthdays have a habit of taking over). We had a great dinner out followed by a few glasses of champagne. I'm looking forward to making the last year of my twenties one to remember!

Reading... There's not been much time for reading lately and I have a stack of books building up now waiting to be read. When I get immersed in a good book it usually takes over my entire life and I can't do anything else until I've finished it... reading while cooking, reading while eating...thank goodness I'm a pretty fast reader :) I felt in the mood for a classic so I've just started The Cranford Chronicles by Elizabeth Gaskell.

Listening...Curt recently bought a record player so we've been slowly starting to build up a collection of classic vinyls and it's been so good to introduce the girls to some of the standout sounds from the '80s and '90s which take us straight back to our childhoods (hello Direstraits and Simple Minds). Though unfortunately my dear husband thought it would be amusing to pick up a Culture Club album which Lila immediately latched onto and now 'Karma Chameleon' is constantly ringing in our ears.

Watching...We well and truly got sucked into the Australian version of The Voice, which has left a bit of a void since ending a couple of weeks ago. I also get my weekly fix of Downtown Abbey on a Sunday evening which Curt can't abide but I am not exactly enraptured with Robson Green's Extreme Fishing on a Wednesday so that evens things out a little. 

Eating...Everything in sight! Winter does nothing for my waistline, I just crave comfort food and I've been letting myself go wild. Time to exercise some restraint in an attempt to avoid a huge panic before summer shows up again.

Creating...I've been experimenting with making some beads from coloured clay and turning them into necklaces which stemmed from an idea to replicate one I'd been lusting after for some time. Despite the whole concept sounding like something ten year olds do for art class in school, I've been pleasantly surpised with the results and itching to try out some more ideas.







Pictures...afternoon rainbow spotted from our garden // Lila and Rose at the adventure playground // first ponytail // ballet class
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