the happy mundane #1

For some time now I've had all the best intentions of starting a gratitude journal and jotting down a few things to be thankful for on a regular basis. Aside from being a boost to overall wellbeing, I figure that embracing this mentality can only help keep my spirits high on those odd crappy days that inevitably roll around every now and then when domestic matters and child rearing get a whole lot more of a chore than a pleasure and that little feeling of discontent threatens to creep in, followed hot on the heels by the niggling question of "Life...is this it?'

A pen and a notebook with its pristine pages still untouched have sat waiting patiently on my bedside table to be used for this very purpose for about a year now. It's probably safe to say at this point that approach is clearly not going to work for me so instead I thought I'd try making a little happy list here at the end of every week (or as often as I can manage!) For the past several months this has been a place I've come to write when I've felt inspired and particularly strongly about a topic or wanted to share something poignant but I like the idea of also recording the small pleasures and moments in our everyday routines that often go unnoticed. After all, it's the little moments of joy- and the ability to stop and recognise them, just as much as the big celebratory events and milestones which cumulatively make a life a happy one. So in the name of gratitude and thankfulness, here are some things that have put a smile on my face this week

1 // Sharing a mid-afternoon treat with Rose when she wakes up from her nap- a mug of hot cocoa with added vanilla and cinnamon and a pinch of brown sugar, with a biscuit or two for dunking and some stories.

2 // My new English Garden candle filling the house with the scent of lavender and cedarwood is getting me excited about our upcoming trip to the UK and afternoons spent in my parents beautiful garden.

3 // Re-reading some of my old, eternally favourite novels during quiet hours spent on the sofa feeding Pearl, including Little Women and its sequel Good Wives by Louisa May Alcott. I've been lured back to them by a slightly lazy desire for familiar, reliable pleasures. Plus I've yet to find any literary family as comic as the eccentric Radletts and the force of nature that is Uncle Matthew in Nancy Mitford's The Pursuit of Love.

4 // Making batches of homemade granola with oats, almonds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds and coconut flakes mixed with olive oil and maple syrup before baking. So good with a bowl of natural yoghurt, chopped fresh fruit and honey. I like it for breakfast, or lunch or a snack (or all of the above), this would explain why it doesn't hang around for long before it's gone.

5 // Managing to pull off throwing two birthday parties in two weekends for my two biggest girls, both held at home and at insanely short notice. It was worth the effort to see how happy it made them, and a good reminder that kids don't need a lot have a great time. If there is a game of pass the parcel, the chance to run around outside and play with bubbles and a cake involved then it's hard to go wrong.

6 // Beautiful mild Autumn days that beg for brisk walks and are chilly enough for a scarf but bright enough to need sunglasses. Being able to still hang the laundry outside is a bonus as I always seem to shrink the childrens clothes when I have to use the drier.

7 // Having the mother of one of Lila's school friends comment that our house was 'homely and cosy' as soon as she walked in for the first time. This is the best home related compliment she could ever have given me and made me more happy than is probably normal. Hopefully she didn't actually glance too closely at any of the surfaces to see the layer of dust settling there.

8 // Seeing how much love Lila and Rose have for their baby sister already and they way their eyes light up when I carry her through into the kitchen every morning (they then proceed to smother her with kisses, strokes and demands to hold her). This little girl is going to be so well cared for.

Photos...Hot cocoa and stories with Rose...Homemade granola in the making...Pearl enjoying a sunny spot...Still small enough to sleep in Daddy's hand...The party table before the carnage...Front porch hang outs...Birthday cake excitement...Enjoying her party morning tea...Our homely home :)

nesting

I am a home-making enthusiast at the best of times- well, aside from heavy duty (that should truthfully say 'any kind of'') cleaning and the relentless tidying up of the never-ending messes familiar to every weary parent. I love pottering around when I have a spare few minutes, rearranging and creating little displays. Nothing fancy, usually just using objects collected on a beach walk grouped with a vase filled with some dried lavender or a random assortment of fresh flowers from the garden (even herbs or whatever seems to living and green) and a well-loved old edition of a favourite book unearthed from the op-shop.

Creating a sense of 'home' in the old-fashioned sense is hugely important to me. I am drawn to objects like handmade quilts and other family heirlooms and hand-me-downs, treasures collected from travels and items with provenance and meaning. I also gravitate towards being surrounded by lots of calming natural elements and textures like wood, wool, cotton, wicker, plants and any kind of greenery. Living in a flawless or fully kitted out showroom-esque home will never be an option, clearly because I'm just not tidy enough. But aside from that I suppose I'm not really motivated by the same hot new interiors trend or replica designer chair as a few million other people. There's no denying that I enjoy the odd trip to Ikea and we have a few great functional items purchased there over the years but the whole ready-to-purchase 'look' is not the holy grail of home as I see it.

I recently came across the concept of wabi-sabi, the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection, and it really struck a chord. Wabi-sabi is a way of being that champions the simple, slow and uncluttered and reveres authenticity above all else. In the home, wabi-sabi inspires a kind of warm minimalism that celebrates the human rather than the machine, things that resonate with the maker's touch, things with soul. It's not so much a decorating 'look' as a mind set. Over the past couple of weeks my nesting instinct has gone into overdrive though I am yet to get to the dusting of long-forgotten corners or any cleaning of the windows and I'm honestly not too concerned if this doesn't happen. This urge to nest has probably has a lot to do with being 33 weeks pregnant and it has nicely coincided with the changing of the seasons. Though we've been lucky enough to still be enjoying some beautiful late summer days, autumn has slowly started creeping in and I am ready for it now.

The sofa (I know I should say couch now we live in Australia but I'm still stubbornly holding onto sofa, trousers and felt-tip pens among other English expressions), has been draped in a cosy wool throw, toes are soon to be clad in soft thick knitted socks when lounging at home and I'm looking forward to cooking up warm soups and hearty casseroles and lighting some candles of an evening. I am tired; more exhausted than I remember being in my previous pregnancies and ready to slow down, settle in for the colder nights and prepare for the new little member of our family that we will be welcoming in not so many weeks now. A name too, we also need a name for her. It seems that by the time you reach the third child of the same gender, pinning down a name you both agree on is more challenging than ever before with all the firm, mutually-agreed favourites already being used up with the other two. Hopefully we can reach a decision soon and that my powers of persuasion will prevail!

'tis the season

For dancing around the living room to Christmas songs, enhanced by the faint crackle of spinning vinyl. For homemade Christmas decorations and crafts and a house covered in a fine film of glitter. For taking Lila to the department store to choose this years Christmas day dress (for Rose, there is an elf outfit...we couldn't resist. I promise you can choose a dress or an outfit next year too little one). For eager anticipation of what the days advent envelope will bring. For the Christmas books, brought out to be enjoyed and pored over for another December. For baking Christmas cookies this week for our kind neighbours. For holding loved ones tightly and being thankful for it, all of it.

  

wishlist // the Christmas edition

Santa, if you happen to be reading...

         

A subscription to The Simple Things magazine // Really enjoying this new-ish UK magazine, the strapline of which is 'Embrace a Simpler Life', which is a concept I am always harping on about. I suppose I could download the online versions on the ipad but I really like to be able to have my favourite publications in paper form. Somehow the experience of reading them is just so much more satisfying that way. And I just like things that I can hold, and collect... and clutter up our home with :) 

Boxes of Madagascan Vanilla and Strawberries and Cream loose leaf tea by T2 // This Australian tea company produces a seriously epic range of teas. I was never massively into tea until I came over here (and there's no way I can ever replace my morning coffee) but these are seriously good. There's something about the age-old ritual of tea making and drinking that is very appealing and comforting.

Peter Pan Print by Emily McDowell // I love this so much, both the typography and design and the sentiment (the last thing Peter Pan ever said to Wendy before she grew up). Every time I see it I get a lump in my throat...yes, as pathetic as it sounds, it's the truth.

Hanging Planter by Farrah Sit // Made from porcelain with a leather strap, this is just downright rad and would look excellent in our lounge where I've got a collection of succulents on the go (they seem to be impossible to kill which is a bonus). I fancy something a bit more trailing and ivy-like which would be great in this vessel. 

Marshmallow Bathing Elixir by MOR // Now we are finally living somewhere with a bath I've hit a glitch in that I can't seem to find anywhere that sells nice luxurious bath essence, bubble bath for grownups if you will. It seems to be mysteriously lacking from Australian shelves. Except Radox, which is fine, but not really what I had in mind. Some intensive searching has however revealed this, which sounds heavenly.

Rope and Mesh Necklace by The Vamoose // A perfect summertime accessory to throw on with a plain tee and a pair of denim shorts, with just a touch of the nautical about it. From one of my all-time favourite jewellery labels, anything in fact from The Vamoose would make me very happy indeed. 

Things I Love by Megan Morton // I'm a fan of her first interiors book- Home Love, and this one appears to be just as covetable (I had a sneaky flick through in a fancy book store). I was so keen to go to her recent interior styling workshop when she was in Melbourne but we had just bought the house and there wasn't enough dollars in the coffers to make it happen. Next time I hope :)

I'm also pretty keen for a lovely retro style bicyle with a child seat for Rose and a new surfboard but sceptical that either of them will emerge from my stocking this year....but there's no harm in putting it out there in case Santa is feeling really generous. Or on the off chance Fairy Godmothers really do exist!

happenings at home

We're settling into our new home nicely, still moving around posessions, pondering colour schemes and decor ideas and aquiring bits of furniture here and there. Mostly from a series of wonderful antiques markets we discovered in our nearest big town, a few local op (charity/thrift) shops and also on Gumtree- where we were lucky enough to score a free lovely timber, provinvial style bed for the spare room. I just need to mention here that you have no idea how unreal/amazing it feels to me to actually say the words "our" and "spare bedroom" in the same sentence. Decorating on a budget is always a challenge but I'm loving it, actually just loving being able to knock nails in walls without panicking about having to fill them all one day when we move out.

Having an actual garden, well a large-ish patch of grass to be precise, is still a huge novelty and my mind is ticking over with ambitious plans involving rose and lavender bushes, trailing vines and trellices. I had to acquaint myself with the gardening section of the library as soon I stopped daydreaming for long enough to realise I don't actually know anything about garden design, or even in fact gardening. However, the veggie patch is already underway which the children are beyond thrilled about and no doubt my mother, the master gardener, will be happy to help when she and my Dad fly over for an eagerly anticipated visit at the end of December. The only thing bothering me is a memory of my teenage self declaring to my parents that I would never, ever, seriously never be interested in gardening as it was the most boring thing on Earth. This can only mean I am now officially old.

Here are a few pictures of home and things happening in it of late...

1 //  A display of straw hats hanging on our bedroom wall. We've (ha! what I really mean is 'I') decided to go with a travel / beachy / Morrocan style vibe for the room.

2 //  New findings from beach combing adventures to add to our collection of random curios.

3 //  My new book, dipping into it whenever I get a spare minute to myself.

4 //  New necklace creations ready for sale at my stall at the craft market next month. Eeek. Starting to get a bit nervous about having enough stock and whether anyone will actually buy any of them. The entire dining table is now taken over with bead production.

5 //  Preparations for the home made advent calendar I am creating for the girls. Each day in December they will discover a festive item or details of something we will do that day. Somedays it will be a little sweet treat (a candy cane or chocolate coin), sometimes a treasure (a little decoration for the tree or book), alternatively a festive activity (watching The Snowman, listening to Christmas songs, baking and decorating Christmas cookies), or a big event (choosing the Christmas tree or going to a carol concert).

I'm still figuring out the logistics of how all this will actually be packaged up and made to look pretty but it's fun and I'm feeling fairly excited and in the festive spirit already. Well, as festive as it is possible to get in a country where it is likely to be averaging 27 degrees celcius on Christmas day.

cricket court

Cricket Court is the quirky, bohemian country estate of British fashion designer Alice Temperley- complete with two pet llamas no less. Located in Somerset, in close proximity to the cider farm which is her childhood home, this is where she escapes the big city to spend weekends with her husband and their young son Fox. 

The whimsical interior emphasizes the houses' classic period features and reflects her love of all things British whilst also incorporating ornate ethnic elements and influences from her world travels. I love the fact that this home has so much character and reflects the personalities and passions of its occupants so charmingly. There's nothing better than a home which tells a story. Oh and of course the elevated free standing Victorian bath which is the centre piece of the master bedroom had me at hello.

  

Via Vanity Fair. Photographs by Francois Halard.

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 

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