White Beauty...

here

Just beautiful!

A Gorgeous picnic...

If you have been celebrating Australia Day, I hoped you enjoyed it...if not, I hope you enjoy these images of a beautiful picnic.

Ours was no where as stunning as this one, but just imagine for a second - packing up your vintage china and glasses, French linen napkins and a soft herringbone blanket in your vintage suitcase to head on out by the water for a feast with family and friends to celebrate what it is to be Australian.
When you arrive at your destination, you find the most beautiful shade tree, the type you would hang a tyre swing from, layout your blanket, turn on the soundtrack to Somethings Gotta Give and brake out your old Grans wooden board. Some fresh bread from that wood fire oven bakery you passed along the way and the most delightful cheese from the twilight farmers market gets the day off to a start while the B-B-Q is fired up, and not with the usual fare of steak, sausages etc, but marinated chicken, stuffed zucchini, eggplant and the like.
You watch the men and the kids play cricket and swim in the water.

While all this is happening you set up a zone with linen pillows, and an impromptu flower arrangement from daisies and lawn chamomile that were growing by your feet.
A table that was found by the water, left by others you cover in a spare blanket you have in the boot of the car...oh and you just happened to have some spare Tolix stools!!
This becomes your outdoor dining room ready for the feast.

I know it would never happen...but just play along OK?!
As the day wears on and full stomachs take hold, a afternoon nap is in order. You set up some little hurricanes from vintage mercury glass ready for the evening.
After the long day, the kids flake out under the umbrella, covered in the softest pashminas, a little sun kissed from all of the cricket and the swimming, and the grownups have a well deserved cup of coffee and a huge chunk of Pavlova while the sun dims...how Australian is that!!!?
Well, I hope you all liked my fanciful take on an Australian picnic - well it is what I would love anyway.
I love being Australian!
Ness xx
images- Aust Country Style

Home makes me smile...

One of those days!

Mason, our 3 year old swallowed dish washing liquid on the way back from the grocery store. I panicked and felt really teary while talking to the Poisons Center. He is OK, but I think he regretted it!

So, I took some photos of things that make me smile and feel calm...basically home.

This one is of the mirror Dad made us that's in the dining area, looking into the living room. The afternoon sun was just starting to come over the top of our house to fill the living room with light.

My $50 Chaise. How can that not make me smile and it is filled with the ticking, tufted base I made and a heap of cushions/pillows that I have made. It is in the hallway, right outside of our bedroom door and I love seeing it.

3 gorgeous little bottles I bought in Oatlands on a trip with my Mum and the boys and an old picture frame, picked up at the markets.
And finally, a new cover for my Etsy Store called La balloon (I really like this one and have made something else with it that I will show you soon) which is on a stack of books all about white interiors....ah smile =0)
The day has ended well with a nice 3km run to get rid of the stress.
Lets hope tomorrow goes smoothly!
Ness xx

Simple Things Are Best...

By now you are aware that I have a growing to-do list for holiday decorating which will begin late next week. Some of you are wondering where I am getting all of the time to create my list as well as items for My Shop, training, etc, etc.

Well, I am planning on using loads of 'fillers'...things like bunches of greenery with lovely ribbon. This one above is beautifully simple and with the mint leaves would smell wonderful when you brush by.
Unfortunately, I don't have any vintage silverware (except for a gorgeous cake server), but the modern ones I have resemble these ones without the lovely patina. I do have stunning linen like this however ...now to fit it into the to-do list!

Little accents like this just make the whole event special, and make your guests feel like they are important to you...and how simple - a felt snowflake (you could cut this out with a scalpel), a sprig of something fresh (Lavender or Boxwood would be perfect), and a vintage tea towel used as a napkin....I love it!
For this, you wouldn't have to use purpose made tea light holders...baby food jars, small jam jars, anything like that would do. A couple of Autumn leaves and string and voila!! very cute table filler. Here in Australia though it would have to be a green leaf as we are at the end of Spring. It would still look gorgeous though.
...and don't forget doorknobs, drawer pulls etc. I am not saying to put one everywhere there is a handle...but unexpected places seem like you have really thought it out. I plan to put something on our little cupboard outside which houses our water heater! Everyone has to walk past it to get to the back door.

...I really have to get started!

Ness xx

image 1- Jeanne D'arc Living, 2 +3- Country Living, 4- Martha, 5- bhg