2 Lovely Spaces

Just a random post to say how much I love these 2 spaces.  The kitchen belongs to Andy Newcom and was featured in this month's Lonny which went live earlier this week.  The other image I found on Stuart Membery's blog and is the work of Sig Bergamin as featured on the front cover of the April issue of Elle Decor.  I'm in-love with Sig's room and I'm sure my mother will be too...blue and white gets her every time!  I think the thing I like so  much about Sig's room is that it is blue and white with a difference.  The Suzani throw and the mismatched artwork adds a different element which I love.  It doesn't look too contrived which is how blue and white can sometimes look in my opinion.  It's sort of like it's been shaken and stirred.  That's my kind of blue and white!!xx

PS.  I would like to send my well-wishes and thoughts and prayers to all of our friends in Japan. 
xx Anna

The Family Gift Coordinator

I seem to be the go-to-person in my family for gifts which probably is quite obvious considering I have a shop full of things to give.  Today my brother Nick rang me pleading me to help him with a last minute gift which he needed for today.  I was up to my armpits in emails, quotes, fabrics and paperwork but I dropped everything immediately for his arrival.  I whipped out a few things in the shop and then he decided on a beautiful Sally Campbell quilt which I wrapped for him.  Usually it's a much longer and arduous task which requires me to pull the shop entirely to pieces.  If only I had someone in my life who would organise these sorts of things for me like I do for them!  He left grateful for my help.  I couldn't stop thinking that it was like a drive-through gift service!  Let's hope she likes the quilt!!!

The S.A. Crowd & Home on Sunday

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I must apologise as I didn't get a chance to post before I left for Adelaide a few days ago.  I am working on a house in Dulwich which is such a beautiful area in lovely Adelaide.  Whilst visiting I had the absolute pleasure of catching up with The S.A. Crowd - Kimberlee from Brown Button, Emma from White & Wander, Kate from Polka Dot Pantry, Pippa from Tres Dodgeois and Alex from French Navy Stationery.  What a lovely group of positive, happy, inspiring, funny, encouraging and creative girls.  We had a fantastic dinner at Sparrow Kitchen & Bar on Friday night and then went out and hit the Antique shops on Saturday together.  I was amazed by Adelaide's history, wonderful food, pretty tree-lined streets, old stone houses and fantastic Antique shops.  It really is a place worth visiting and I can't wait to head back down there mid-year to catch up with the girls again.

After such a busy few days away, today I loved being at home.  I spent the day with my boys pottering around the house and the garden.  We recently put in a kitchen garden or Potager as the French call them.  Our lettuce is growing beautifully.  I picked one today to make a salad with tonight along with our tomatoes which just seem to be sprouting up everywhere in our garden.  Although all of this rain we've had has done some horrible things to our state, our garden is just so green and full of flowers which I have been picking and placing in vases in the house.  There really isn't anything which makes me happier than arranging flowers from my own garden to place around our house...simple pleasures!!

xx
Anna

Work in Progress

I thought I'd share a couple of in-progress photos of a house I am currently working on.  The wallpaper in the powder room was just installed the other day and we also recently completed the main bedroom.  We are about to commence work in the formal lounge room.  The colours we have chosen for the lounge room are orange, purple, green and duck-egg blue.  Next time I'm over at this house I will try to take a photo of the outside as it is one of the prettiest houses I've seen here in Brisbane.

Heaven on Earth

Whenever I visit Ursula's blog, Aged & Gilded, I am never disappointed.  She constantly inspires me with the beautiful images and articles she shares.  I love too that she shows pictures of houses in French Elle Decor.  This house, which she recently posted, has me totally smitten.  I love it.  I love the patchwork tiling in particular!  Hope you have a great weekend.  I'm signing off now for this week...

xx

Anna

images via elle decoration - photorapher unknown

TT Necklace

And just because I'm on a bit of a necklace thing this week isn't this one fabulous from the amazing Table Tonic {Click HERE to purchase.  I think there's only 1 left!!}.  I can't get enough of Indian, Afghani, Uzbeki, Mexican, African, Anatolian, Russian tribal things right now...

Happy March!

Can you believe it's March already?  As March heralds the start of Autumn here in Australia I was inspired by the colour orange and falling leaves to create this month's calendar vignette.  I made a necklace out of paper letters I bought at Kate's Paperie and wrapped lots of gingham ribbons and pleated trim around the neck of our vintage French Mannequin.  This month we are opening our back displays at Black & Spiro again.  This is the third time we have redecorated the 2 back rooms since our re-opening last year.  We are using lots of orange and lavender.  I can't wait to unveil them in the coming weeks.  Happy March Everyone! 

xo
Anna