Black & Spiro Sale 2011

Mum snapped this photo as the beautiful pair of Antique chairs were loaded into the back of this truck.  They were headed to their new home in Byron Bay.  I was sad to see these chairs go as they were my favourite things in the entire shop.  These ladies drove all the way up this morning from Byron Bay...unbelievable!!

What a beautiful, sunny day it was today.  Perfect weather for a sale.  I arrived at the store at 7.15am to find the first two ladies lined up at our front door.  They had apparently been there since 6.45am.  To say I was surprised is an understatement.  By 7.30am my friend Faux Fuchsia had arrived and by 8am there was an army of happy, excited women at our front door lined up in an orderly queue around the corner into Browne Street ready and prepared for our 9am open. 

I have to say that every year I become more and more anxious about our one day only sale.  My thoughts drift from what if nobody comes to what if more people come than last year.

However, it seems that the latter is true - to my complete astonishment more and more people come every year.  Last year I don't think I was really prepared for the numbers we had on the day but this year we set in place some new procedures for our sale which I think made it so much better.  

I would like to thank everyone who supported us today.  I was absolutely delighted by the kindness, politeness and civility of everyone and it seems that everyone left the store not only with something they love but also with a smiling, happy face which makes me very happy and relieved!!

PS.  A huge thank you to my oldest and dearest friend in the entire world Sophie and also to Diana and Mum for stepping in and helping us.  I don't know how we would have done it without you!!!!  Oh and also the biggest thanks to my beautiful Black & Spiro girls - Kel, Liv & Eve.  You girls all worked tirelessly over the last week getting us ready for today.  You are THE BEST!!!

Mid-Week Tulips

These fresh tulips arrived at Black & Spiro today.  They were such a surprise.  I took them home and arranged them in the vintage bird vase I picked up a few weeks ago.  They have brightened my week. Thank you Janet!!

The Preparations Have Begun...

Yesterday we started preparing for our annual sale at Black & Spiro which starts at 9am this Saturday.  This is what our fabric remnant room looked like after I had stripped it of piles and piles of fabric which we are putting into our sale on Saturday. It's so nice to have some order in our remnant room as it usually looks like a cyclone has swept through it!!

Patchwork Tiles & Mothers Day

Whilst having a flick through one of my old decorating books today I stumbled across this image which reminded me how much I really like the idea of these blue and white patchwork tiles for our new kitchen.  Oh and look at those big fabulous blue and white bowls...definitely something else to covet!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day.  Mine was lovely.  The boys cooked me lunch.  I set the table with succulents and our mismatched old blue and white plates.  It was relaxing and happy and I loved every minute of it....xx

Black & Spiro Annual Sale

I am delighted to announce the date of our highly anticipated annual Black & Spiro one day only sale.  There will be lots of wonderful things as always and very generous discounts.  We look forward to seeing you next Saturday 14th May.

My Very Own Artist

A very funny and lovely thing happened to me today.  As it was a public holiday here, most of our day was spent pottering around the house enjoying some time with our boys.  I cooked a chocolate cake with Harry and Roast Chicken this afternoon for dinner.  I picked some flowers and herbs out of our garden and I tidied up the house.  Brad and I finally sat down in the lounge room tonight after we had fed the boys and bathed them and I looked over my shoulder and spotted Harry on the floor drawing.  I went over to see what he was drawing and I was so surprised and excited to see him drawing the vignette on our entry chest of drawers as pictured above.  You might think that I am making this up after my post yesterday in which I discussed my mother's entry vignette and Cressida's Campbell's artwork but I am not.

At one point he asked me to pass him down the orange vase so that he could examine it's details up-close.  I was even asked to sharpen pencils.  Of course I didn't argue as I was so excited to see him drawing the things I had arranged on our entry table.

This is the end result.  After looking over it and discussing it, he said he made a mistake with the placement of the pink chair and he said he might add the picture frames which hang on the wall behind the vignette but that's for another night.  On the back he has written a special note to me...I think my Mother's Day happened one week early!

PS...Did you notice Harry's fluoro pencils?!  They are the BEST pencils as the colour is just so vivid and bright.  They can be purchased from Toyworld if anyone is interested.

PPS...I must thank my beautiful friend and client Jules for the Phoebe Stephens yellow roses as pictured above which she delivered to me on Friday afternoon along with the big tub of potent Vitamin C which has done me the world of good...my awful flu has pretty much gone!!xx

Simple Pleasures & Lovely Things

My father has never been the best gift organiser/giver.  However, he recently returned from an overseas surfing trip with a bag full of amazing shells for my mum.  Some he found on the beach and some he bought from local men in dug-out boats.  My mother absolutely loves them and has placed them on a table in their entry with other lovely things she has collected over the years and some fresh flowers she picked from her garden.  These shells will certainly be the gift that keeps on giving as my mum will enjoy and cherish them forever.  Isn't it wonderful how the simplest things have made the most special and heartfelt gift.

Whilst browsing through Cressida Campbell's book today I couldn't help thinking how similar some of her vignette wood-block prints are to this vignette of mum's above.  As I have said before, there is something so familiar to me about Cressida Campbell's work.

I feel like I have lived in the rooms and spaces she depicts in her wood-block prints.  Maybe that's the charm.  Maybe her paintings make me feel at home.  She paints bowls filled with fruit, vases filled with flowers and it all looks so effortless and comfortable.  That's exactly how I want to live. 

image 1 & 2 - anna spiro, image 3 - photo taken by anna spiro of painting in cressida campbell's book