I have been MIA as my laptop has died. It had a huge crack across the screen that was slowly getting bigger and bigger. Elias knocked a glass of Red wine into the last one which then expolded, so this the second one in about 3 years. I want a shiny pretty new one, but computer nerd Husband is practical as ever and is trying to hunt down a good (read cheap) deal online. I'm crossing my fingers we can meet half way and get something that is shiny, pretty and reasonably cheap.
We went to the Oz Asia Moon lantern festival last week, a fantastic event in Adelaide. There were lots of new lanterns this year, and the biggest turn out so far, about 20,000 people which is huge for Adelaide.
Fantastic fireworks after the parade
Smiling boy before burning of beautiful lanterns
Elias was devastated when they set some lanterns alight on the river this year. He kept saying "but they were so beautiful they should have kept them for next year". Poor little boy, there were tears.
Cute little You tube video of the event below:
They had great food stands and I had delicious Sakura Mochi, one of the best I've ever tasted. A great night all round.
After a week of the 3 of us being trapped inside with gastro, cabin fever led me to repaint the kitchen. I used leftover paint from our lounge and hallway, and diluted it with white to make a half strength coffee/stone colour. Our kitchen is pretty small, long but narrow. I would have liked to used white to maximise space, but it would have made the cream coloured units and tiles stand out even more.This colour seems to lighten them somehow.
We can't get a front on shot in here, way too narrow, but you get the general idea. Think cream laminex units, cream splashback tiles and the horrendous 70's (bad 70's) floor tiles. I think we have around 8 different floor finishes in our house, nothing like continuity! One thing I do really like is this wooden shelf unit the previous owner put in. Such a simple affordable idea. It gave me a chance to do a bit of remerching, one of my favourite things.
I repressed and rehung my map handkercheifs and wooden cities that I got from Muji a few years ago in Hong Kong. Muji is quite possibly the best store in the world ever.
Pretty handmade ceramic bowls from the last Jam Factory sale at our fantastic local pub The Wheatie.
The middle bowls are a gift from a lovely student in Japan when I lived there many years ago. I've been collecting vintage Japanese bowls over the years and I'm always on the lookout when I go op shopping. These have the most amazing patterns and where about 50 cents each, crazy.
More Japanese cuteness, Miffy salt and pepper shakers, another gift from Japan.
Little Sake cups from another lovely Japanese student. Elephant chopstick rests are from IDEE, the most beautiful Japanese furniture and home ware stores in the stunning Tokyo Midtown. I love it so much, I managed to fit a side table in my suitcase on a work trip last year.
This is by no means our dream kitchen, but it is just fine for now. I am feeling so energised from this lovely weather and the end of the plague, I might finally get on to remerching the rest of the house.
My Husband and I are both slightly obsessed with Mid century design, particularly chairs. When I say slightly, our Study/guest bedroom is almost packed to the ceiling with furniture that doesn't fit anywhere else our little house, and don't get me started on the garage. Our house is quickly becoming the "house of chair".
Ben found this amazing set of images from the Sydney Guild Furniture Show in 1965 on the State Library of NSW website. It's amazing to see these pieces as they looked when first released. We have a few pieces from some of these makers that have stood the test of time in terms of workmanship/construction and design. Oh to be at that Furniture show...
Fler display
Parker
Parker
Parker
Parker
Parker
Parker dining room-divine!
Parker Knoll
Parker Knoll Study
Vynoid display, I've never heard of this brand but love the brandname
Many an hour could be spent looking at these fantastic historical images. I'm off to make a cup of coffee and daydream for a bit...
I've had a long term love affair with Publisher Textiles since getting a freebie botanica print note book with an issue of Inside Out Magazine many years ago. They have the most beautiful range of hand printed fabrics and wallpapers. We have this Rocket Lamp covered in their "Apollo" print fabric in our lounge. Such a lovely intricate print:
I don't know if this fabric is still in print, but there are cushions available in denim colour on the Publisher Textile site here
After searching for about 2 years we found this fantastic mid Century Fler rocking chair. It had been badly recovered in dusty pink velvet, complete with cigarette burns, delightful. The foam was still in pretty good shape, so I thought I would have a go at re upholstering it. I used Publisher Textiles "Bugsey" fabric, which was the perfect weight and really easy to work with. Not bad for a first effort, I love it!
How amazing does the print look on a larger scale?
Image from Inside Out Magazine via Publisher Textiles site here
I had enough fabric leftover to make this table runner:
I also bought a few meters of this gorgeous botanica print to play with. It's beautifully sheer and would make a lovely curtain. I would love to paper a room with this print one day, just need a bigger house!
We found these at these lovely wooden shapes at the market last week. A real steal at six bucks! I'm not sure what they are but have some memory of them lurking from my childhood, school perhaps? The wood has a beautiful colour and grain. I'm always surprised by the funny things we find when treasure hunting.
The painting behind the shapes was bought from a community art gallery on another country treasure hunting trip that weekend. Community galleries often have wonderful work that is ridiculously affordable. This beauty cost $35! We got to have a chat to the artist (Ann Williams) who told us the painting is based on the principals of Sodoku, interesting stuff!
The shapes remind me of the work of super talented Adelaide designers daniel-emma and their range of amazing desk accessories. I love the simplicity of their collections and the whole story of their brand. Despite working at some of the most amazing design studios in the world (Marc Newson, Thorsten Van Elten and Committee), they have chose to live and develop their brand here in little old Adelaide. It is a fantastic reminder that anything is possible no matter where you live.
A great interview with the talented couple can be found here on from The Design Files.
I turned the big 34 last week and had a lovely time celebrating. I generally try to avoid the birthday thing, but every few years I get my head out of the sand and invite a few friends over to celebrate. Good friends, good food and booze and some very lovely gifts. Feeling very spoiled and incredibly lucky.
Elias drew this 'black hole', (slight Space obsessed at the moment) for me at kindy. Kind of a big deal considering he hardly ever draws (much to Ben's dismay). It went straight to the pinboard!:
Some lovely lilies from my Dad, who lives on Kangaroo Island, but came over for the week to celebrate my brother Al and I's birthdays, conveniently 4 days apart:
And my most favourite gift of all... our lovely friend and talented photographer Elise gave me framed prints of these gorgeous photos she took of Elias earlier this year. Heart melts every time I look at them, now to find the right spot for them:
We bought this little set of drawers a few years and it has been sitting in the spare room collecting dust for ages.
Before:
I don't know what kind of wood they are made from but it gets dented and damaged so easily. I thought it could work well in Elias' room as a bedside table I used leftover paint that we used to paint his room, mixed with white gloss to make the varied shades. I'm pretty happy with the end result.
We've been on a bit of a budget since I left my job late last year, and that combined with trying to waste less has led me to rediscover preserve making. I feel like an such an old Lady, but I love it!
I have given away so many jars to friends, but we still have this stockpile to get through:
So far I've made quince paste and jelly, tomato and lime chutney, tomato relish, peach chutney, pickled beetroot, Japanese daikon and other veggies. We had a bumper crop in the veggie patch after a very rainy summer in Adelaide, thanks to global warming...
Our friends gave us a huge bag of oranges on the weekend, so today made orange marmalade with this recipe, Karen Martini's glace oranges, and this orange and yoghurt cake I saw on The Martha Stewart show. They all worked really well and I will definitely make that cake again, low fat and delish!
I have just logged back into Etsy after a very long (about a year) break. I had forgotten how addictive it can be, so many amazing handmade items at super affordable prices. I purchased this baby from the very clever a merry mishap I can't wait for it to arrive! Perfect to brighten up my mostly black winter wardrobe. Visit the gorgeous Etsy shop here, currently on sale including a free pair of earrings with each order!
I have been thinking and talking about starting a blog for such a long time now, but procrastination got the better of me. So, no more excuses, and what better time to start than at the beginning of a lovely fresh, full of promise New Year!
Posts on home projects, treasured finds, and beautiful things to come.
You can get a sneak peak of the current issue at the here at the Homelife blog. It makes me want to redecorate the house, such a fresh modern look!
