2009 - My year in Pictures..

2009 - What a year it has been...

This year I...

Bought my first house
Adopted a new member into our family, the mischievous kitten Olive
Got my first tattoo
Collected ten vintage typewriters
Made hundreds of brooches and watched my little business blossom
Had my work featured on the front page of Etsy
Had my work featured in Frankie, Real Living and Get Creative magazines

This year has been just so amazing for me. I've soared through many wonderful highs and also experienced some sad lows. My blog has always been a place for me to come to, to ponder, reflect, share and explore my world. Thank you so much for a wonderful year, for all your kind words, comments, support and friendship. It means so much to me and I can't wait to continue blogging and sharing in the fun of 2010. Wishing everyone a delightful evening of new year's celebrations. See you tomorrow to begin a brand new year..

Much love and Happy New Year!
xxx

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Ideas and Dressing Tables..

I love these final days of the year, with Christmas behind us, the new year around the corner, the sun high in the sky and the world almost in slow motion, still in holiday mode... and I'm right there with them, deep in the beauty and delight of the holiday season.

My holidays have been filled with ideas, plans, measurements and making friends with the people at the local hardware store. Magazines and clippings fill the dining table whilst my journal brims with beautiful images of homes, paint colours, homewares and my little cottage moment by moment becomes our home..

The current state of my dining table.. full of inspiration.

My moleskine journal has become the ultimate place for all my grand ideas, the biggest of which is a plan for a delightful little conservatory, inspired by Susan Southam's Bramasole, nestled in the backyard under the Maple Tree..

Pages of thoughts and notes, an inspiring bedroom, lovely bedside table and quilt.

I find myself spending the mornings sipping tea and pouring though images, making notes over toast and tea before taking to streets, journal and tape measure in hand, ready to find that perfect colour and piece of furniture.. and yesterday I did just that.

As my hubby and I braved the heat to search the local refuse shop for some old tea chests and crates, I stumbled across this gorgeous little old dressing table. Tomorrow the transformation begins, with a few coats of white paint, I hope to give this lovely dressing table a 'French Provincial' feel.

Wishing you a delightful final day of 2009, a time to reflect and look to the future, to make wonderful plans for the coming year.

Much Love
xxx

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Merry Christmas and a little cottage tour...

Well it has been a very long week of shifting heavy boxes and cleaning windows and we are finally into a lovely little cottage, just in time for Christmas. I'm so delighted to finally have the internet back and I would just love to take you on a wee tour of our sweet nest.

Welcome, come down the garden path, past the rambling roses to our little cottage.

Roses are abundant throughout the garden and are just begging to be placed into delicate Venetian glass to perfume the house.

Of course, one of the first boxes to be unpacked was the books, perched carefully on the bookshelf where Jane Austen, Lewis Carroll and James Joyce enjoy a cup of tea.

I'm so excited about my cute little kitchen, the original fire place still intact, perfect for recipe books and lovely bits and pieces.

Through the back door, tangled amongst the daisies and roses you will find our laundry in a gorgeous little weatherboard nook.

In the lounge room, on the coffee table is the new Real Living magazine, it's one of my very favourites and yesterday I was relaxing in the afternoon with a pot of tea enjoying this fabulous How-To issue, when I noticed something rather exciting...

One of my little brooches on the We're Loving page!

I had no idea that 'I heart Cupcakes' was going to make an appearance and I must say, I bolted outside to find my hubby and ran around giggling like a little girl. A very delightful Christmas present indeed. Thanks so much to the amazing girls at Real Living for putting together such a fabulous magazine, it is always filled with such inspiring design ideas.

More of my little cottage to come as I paint a few walls and get my lovely new studio organised. Thanks so much for joining me on this little tour..

Well it is indeed Christmas Eve and I'm off to make enjoy the festive cheer for a few days before settling in to unpack the rest of my house and begin renovations. Wishing you, your family and friends a delightful Christmas and festive season, full of joy, laughter, love and a glass of bubbly or two.

Much Love and Merry Christmas
xxx

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My Place & Yours..Five Minutes Peace

This week's My Place and Yours theme has been thought up by the fabulous Pilgim and it is just glorious! For how doesn't want 'Just Five Minutes Peace' in their ever exciting and busy lives.

My favourite spot in the world to get five minutes peace, my very own sanctuary, is my lovely little vintage desk and Louis XV style chair. It is in the perfect spot by the front window and when the afternoon sunshine streams in, there is no place I would rather be, curled up with one of my favourite books, a letter or two and my journal.

My little desk and chair.. It is a little bare at the moment because we are moving into our new cottage on Friday but it's one of the last parts of my world I will pack up. I love to fill the little shelves with beautiful books, letters, vintage postcards and ink bottles.

My moleskine journal, a very special place to catch a moment in time, somewhere I always feel at home.

Lovely letters from my dear girls Courtney and Tara.. I can't wait to finish up work for the year on Wednesday so I can write letters all summer long.

And don't think it's just us hard working humans that enjoy five minutes of peace. My delightful Olive also enjoys her kitten peace and quiet too. Yesterday I was searching the whole house for Olive, when finally my hubby found her, in her new favourite spot... cuddled up on the bed, hiding inside my dressing gown.

Olive's very own sanctuary.. Looks like I'll be finding myself a new dressing gown.

Make sure you pop over to Pip's and check out everyone's lovely little favourite spots for that very important five minutes peace and make sure you join in too!

PS. Just a reminder I will be closing my Etsy shop at midnight tonight and will reopen after Christmas, once I'm all settled in to my new studio.

Much love and happy Monday
xxx

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Saturday Shopping List..

This week's list is inspired by a day of relaxing by the pool yesterday, the perfect way to end up a very full and exciting school year. As the kids played and the teachers sat and watched enjoying a moments peace, I couldn't help but notice the beautiful shades of blue and green and the glorious sunshine that streamed down, breaking through tiny white clouds. Here's to a delightful summer...

1. English Garden Bobby Pin Set by Nomsa
2. a whatnot 'everyday' vintage stool by dottieangel
3. before sunset 5x7 Art Print by alicebgardens
4. Pair of Embroidery End Table Doilies by MarcellasExcess

Check out all the other lovely shopping lists at fancypicnic.

Much love and happy shopping!
xxx

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The festivities begin...

It is so delightful that when the calendar flicks over to December and within moments everyone is in the Christmas spirit. After spending the last two days at the VATE state conference, surrounding by amazing and inspiring people and so many fabulous books, I arrived back at work today and felt like I has stepped into the North Pole. Everywhere I turned there were decorations, silly Santa hats and Kris Kringle gift giving.

As I walked to my office I was surprised and delighted receive a beautiful little gingerbread house from one of my students. I'd just love to live inside this little house, complete with icing sugar snow.

My delightful gingerbread house.. almost too cute to eat!

With all this Christmas spirit about, I'm very excited about getting back into my studio and making some lovely custom brooches just in time for Christmas. The always lovely Linda from Two Pink Possums has order the sweetest little Christmas brooches which I'm just finishing at the moment, such a cute idea.

HoHoHo and Ba Humbug custom Christmas brooches..

And remember my shop will only be open until Monday the 14th so if you would like to purchase a custom brooch for yourself or someone special for Christmas, make sure you get in quick. I'm offering a very special Christmas treat of three 'I heart' brooches for $30, so you can let your imagination run wild.

I hope your Holiday festivities are getting into full swing. For some fabulous eco friendly decorating tips, check out Dottie Angel and her amazing Christmas Tree.

Much Love
xxx

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Sunday Shopping List...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.. especially when there are red and white candy cane stripes about..

1. Plaid. Vintage mug by Kultur
2. Bakers Twine in Peppermint Stick by CaliforniaCraft
3. The Lady in Red Stripes by kirby
4. REGENCY STRIPE Cotton Cushion Cover by bestillshop

Check out all the other lovely shopping lists at fancypicnic.

Much love and candy canes
xxx

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Thank you...

I would just like to thank everyone so much for your amazing support, comments and emails over the last week. I have been overwhelmed by your beautiful messages and each one has truly touched my heart. I feel so blessed to be a part of this wonderful community.


I am back home now after spending a week in Queensland with my family celebrating the incredible life of my grandfather. This week has really made me appreciate the important things in life, to share and love in each moment with family and friends and to truly live life with passion and joy.

It has been delightful to catch up on everyone's blogs and enjoy all the Christmas festivities and touches of glee. It is all so inspiring and I just can't wait to finish up work for the year, move into my lovely little cottage (which is only two weeks away!) and decorate our little world ready for Christmas.

As I will be packing up my studio in preparation for the move, I will be reopening my Etsy shop up today until the 14th of December for custom orders only. So if you would like a Christmas brooch for yourself or something special as a gift, please send conversation via Etsy or email me asap.

Wishing you a wonderful Sunday, I hope you day is filled with love and family. I'm off to enjoy a little more blog inspiration before I begin an afternoon of organising and packing. The only question is now.. which room to start on first?

Image from weheartit

Much Love
xxx

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