the homely place

cheery snow/cosy spaces

2012-02-10T10:23:00.001Z

In spite of the snow and greyness I'm in quite a good mood - the snow that fell last night is actually very beautiful on all the trees, reminding me of the snowy scene from Narnia. Thought these cheery pics might help lift my mood a bit more though, especially as they're quite cosy spaces...

above 3: source unknown

Turner and Lane via the design files

Jubella

above 2: Lo Bjurulf

The house

snow again

2012-02-06T10:37:00.001Z

I'm just beginning to recover from a crazy weekend of snow and chaos. Our boiler leaked in its cupboard on Friday night resulting in ALL the sheets and towels which are stored in the same cupboard being soaked. I had to wash them all then dry them on Saturday while we tried to work out how the boiler had leaked and arranged to get it repaired. Heating working but still no hot water by Sunday so we all had a bath the old fashioned way - boiling water on the stove and having a bucket bath! Fingers crossed it'll all be back to normal by tomorrow. Meanwhile heavy snowfall arrived on Saturday night which we stupidly went out in and took 1 hour to get home from 5 miles away at 1am, then went across London again in it on Sunday - LOL!

first house portrait commission finished

2012-02-04T09:59:00.000Z

This is the first personalised house portrait that I've sold on etsy... a sweet single story semi detached house in Sydney.

sneak preview - London Houses mug

2012-02-01T11:01:00.002Z

Could I ask for some help (again) in deciding which version of my London Houses mug I should produce? Please let me know which colourway works better - black and white, or turquoise and white? Due to the restrictions of printing and the costs involved, at this stage I can only produce a 1 colour mug, even though I would love to produce a full colour mug! They will be printed on bone china which is nicer to drink from, don't you agree?

retro kids bedding

2012-01-28T11:05:00.000Z

Love the design of Retro Holiday from Kas Australia kids collection - especially the kangaroos hopping throughout!

Fresh Screened in Porches

2012-01-26T21:32:00.003Z

(sorry to those who commented yesterday, posted here was the wrong post from the guest blogger - oops! Hope you enjoy this one just as much)
Hi! I'm Jessica, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, a wonderful source for beautiful light fixtures and even interior design inspiration. We're nearly through Winter and I'm really looking forward to warmer evenings, and what's more relaxing on a nice Spring or Summer evening than spending the last few hours of the day chatting with friends and families on a fresh screened in porch. I hope you enjoy!

A neutral color palette and subtle floral patterns give this screened in porch a lovely, fresh atmosphere. I love the Japanese garden lantern by the wicker sofa.

Plenty of fresh green vegetation and durable khaki textiles keep this screened in porch feeling like it is part of the backyard garden. The mismatched pendant lights and string of bare bulbs must give this space a magical glow in the evening.

This lovely screened in porch has a very relaxing, vintage atmosphere couresty of the antique burlap sack pillows and beautiful French windows. I love the pop of orange from the throw blanket.

A vibrant shade of green really makes this porch stand out beautifully. The pair of traditional rocking chairs complete the scene. Nothing like sitting back and sipping an iced tea on a warm afternoon. The simple, industrial wall sconces are an excellent choice.

This porch is prepared for anything. A large brick fireplace keeps the porch warm and inviting during colder months, and the screen and ceiling fan help cool down hotter summer days. I love that there is enough room for a dining table.

A dreamy daybed, Fall wreaths and antique furniture are such a romantic combination on this porch. The 18th century painting is a unique accent piece, too.

I love the crisp white color of this porch with sleek black accents. A black and white color palette is almost always chic, and this porch is no exception. Multiple candles throughout the space add a romantic touch.

This beautiful porch belongs to comedienne Ellen Degeneres. The wood furnishings and floor give the space a calm atmosphere and beautiful texture. The partial screening and white walls help make the porch feel more intimate, as well. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Which of these lovely screened in porches is your favorite? If you're looking for outdoor lighting fixtures for your own porch, stop by Arcadian Lighting and find the perfect one for you home!

valentine's day card

2012-01-19T18:24:00.003Z

well here it is... my very first valentine's day card design! ~~I'll be uploading it to my etsy shop soon!~~ Now available on my etsy shop!

Elaine Pamphilon

2012-01-17T22:37:00.001Z

Elaine Pamphilon's watercolours of British landscapes are stunning and evocative.
"Elaine Pamphilon works by taking mental notes about colour, shapes, lines and textures whilst out walking. She is drawn to the haphazard nature of the countryside and seaside, and from man's intervention and marks on the landscape."
The Medici Gallery

Living On The Edge, Cornwall

Green Path & Cloud Of Starlings

Nature Reserve, Fulbourn

Wooded Valley, Border Country

Black Path

Fanny Shorter

2012-01-11T13:22:00.001Z

On Monday I spend some time in Westfield (Shepherd's Bush) with my brother who is visiting from Australia. We stumbled upon a Twinings Tea shop which was selling beautifully illustrated mugs by illustrator and printmaker Fanny Shorter. There are 6 in the range featuring illustrations of the History of Tea, from it's early beginnings in China in 2737 BC to the present day. Each mug is bone china. What a find!

Ikea "Livet Hemma"

2012-01-09T19:08:00.001Z

More winter inspired images from Ikea "Livet Hemma".

Bruce Rickard house for sale in Cottage Point

2012-01-06T18:25:00.000Z

I'm so excited! There's a Bruce Rickard house for sale in Cottage Point in Sydney! It's a beautiful house in a very beautiful location, named Rickard House III.
“You are virtually in the trees and there is this immediacy between you and the water and the trees and the landscape.” Bruce Rickard says of the house. It's listed here and here.

more Armelle Habib

2012-01-06T08:43:00.001Z

Let me begin this first post of 2012 by wishing you all a Happy 2012!

In December I posted a few photos of Armelle Habib's which I liked here. I wanted to complete that post with some more images I discovered on The Design Files here. They are photos taken by Armelle of her own home in Melbourne. Love the brightness and natural light in all the shots. Apparently Armelle was assistant to Sharyn Cairns for 2 years which explains the beauty of the shots and her clever use of natural light. Thanks to Lucy from The Design Files and Armelle Habib for kind permission.

all photos Armelle Habib

Kate Monkton

2011-12-28T11:02:00.000Z

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

Just stumbled on the website and portfolio of Kate Monkton, a London based interior designer. All I can say is wow - I love her style!

all images Kate Monkton

help me with my new logo

2011-12-17T09:37:00.000Z

Here are some logo ideas for my design business new name, tree hill cloud. I can't decide on the colours or which style of logo to use - should it be colour on a white ground, or white and colour on a coloured ground? Could you please help me to decide by letting me know what you think of the logos and which one appeals the most? Can't go wrong getting the public's opinion! Thanks very much!

Armelle Habib

2011-12-16T10:08:00.000Z

Some favourites (interiors, of course) from Melbourne photographer Armelle Habib's amazing portfolio.

Inside Out magazine

2011-12-12T13:17:00.000Z

My Jan-Feb 2012 issue arrived in the post this morning, bringing me the sunshine and warmth of Sydney - (even tho it's not like that there at the moment) - and waves of homesickness for the beach! This Mornington Peninsula holiday home took my breath away - it is simply stunning.
image from inside out blog on homelife

life at home

2011-12-09T15:37:00.000Z

I received these gorgeous images by email yesterday from the Swedish Ikea Life at Home blog. They are so fresh and beautiful looking with great styling and fantastic photography.

all images from ikea life at home

Liebster blog award

2011-12-07T17:00:00.000Z

Thanks to Rebecca from littletree blog for my Liebster award - wow! I'll be posting soon the 5 *small* blogs that I want to pass the award on to...

greys and washed out colours

2011-12-06T22:20:00.000Z

I'm not usually one for washed out colours but these pale wintry colours somehow appeal - perhaps they match my mood at the moment!

skonahem

Newtown NSW

2011-11-30T10:52:00.004Z

My mum sent me this link to a lovely house for sale in Newtown... love the real wood floors, the art on the wall in the eating area, and the decking out the back with the pool...

some scandinavian inspiration

2011-11-22T22:03:00.000Z

from scandinavia with love

little studio

knitted cupcakes

2011-11-20T11:26:00.001Z

Don't these knitted cupcakes look so delicious and edible? My daughter is going to teach herself to knit them - can't wait to see the results! (Some of the links below have the patterns included.)

Little cotton rabbits

Mixed media still life with red pot

2011-11-18T12:55:00.000Z

I did this painting as a kind of experiment in newspaper collage - I don't think it's worked so well, but I like aspects of it!

Oil paint and newspaper on board

New York Brooklyn brownstones poster

2011-11-17T10:47:00.000Z

now available on etsy

aren't these photos amazing?

2011-11-09T21:05:00.001Z

These are the work of photographer Ania Wawrzkowicz and stylist Rebecca Newport
from life.style.etc.

a random collection of rooms

2011-11-08T21:45:00.001Z

rooms from homelife

contemporary kitchen design by new york interior designer valerie pasquiou interiors + design, inc

contemporary bedroom design by san francisco design-build Urrutia Design

from houzz

Personalised home portraits

2011-11-04T14:40:00.001Z

I'm offering a new item on etsy - personalised home portraits (a fully customised digitally printed illustration of your home in my style). I'm charging US$135.00 for this (around £86) for a one-off original illustration of your home. The reason for the charge is (perhaps obviously) due to the amount of work involved (and time spent) in creating the illustration. Have a look at my etsy shop here! Hope to get some orders soon (fingers crossed)!

Fred Williams film

2011-10-31T22:10:00.001Z

Fred Williams Overview from National Gallery of Australia on Vimeo.

Love this film about Australian artist Fred Williams from the NGA.

Rue anniversary issue

2011-10-29T11:29:00.000+01:00

Have a great weekend!

all images from rue

Sanderson

2011-10-25T09:22:00.000+01:00

The new Sanderson range called Bloomsbury Canvas, Dalloway & Orlando Collections, is something different, fresh and reminiscent of the 1930s and the Bloomsbury era. The prints are a mix of brights and pastels, my favorite being the sofa fabric on the front cover of the collection's catalogue (above), which you can view online here. Love the styling, and characteristics of the era!

Grace Cossington Smith

2011-10-20T13:01:00.001+01:00

Grace Cossintgon Smith is very well known in Australia, but I don't know how much of her is known overseas. I grew up with images of her paintings in my school art text books and cut outs of her paintings in my art diary, not to mention seeing her work regularly on display in the collection at the Art Gallery of NSW (Sydney) and the National Gallery of Australia (Canberra). She didn't begin painting until quite late in her life, and is now considered a pioneer of Post Impressionism in Australia.

"In the late 1940s Grace Cossington Smith regularly painted interiors. Among them were works focusing on the presence of objects – particularly chairs – that appear almost like portraits. As in her subsequent works the artist conveys the meeting of interior and exterior spaces, reflecting light and the natural world through windows and doorways.

By the mid-1950s she began to concentrate primarily on depicting the rooms of her home, Cossington. This was partly due to the fact that the artist’s much-loved sister Diddy had become ill and she wanted to spend more time with her. In the later works Cossington Smith came to fully realise her aim to express colour vibrant with light. As she said, ‘My chief interest I think has always been colour, but not crude flat colour. It must be colour within colour, it has to shine; light must be in it’. (Interview with Hazel de Berg, 1965, National Library of Australia)

In these late paintings Cossington Smith’s ability as a colourist came to the fore in unison with a sure sense of structure, reaffirming her long-held interest in architecture, domestic spaces and illuminated doorways in her early sketchbooks. Luminosity was expressed in her late interiors and still-life paintings in confident, square touches of pure colour. Decades after moving to the family home as a young artist, she was creating works that reveal the confidence of a mature painter at the height of her powers." ~ Grace Cossington Smith, A Retrospective Exhibition, National Gallery of Australia

Still Life with Jugs

Drapery - Chair and Window

Interior

Figure through Flowers

Interior with Wardrobe mirror

Landscape at Pentecost

Interior

The Lacquer Room

all images from National Gallery of Australia

Tent London 2011

2011-10-17T11:32:00.003+01:00

I know this is a bit late (it was held in late September) , but I wanted to share some of my favourites from Tent London 2011. Five designers stood out for me, even though I found almost all of them interesting in some way or other.

First up: Curiousa & Curiousa for their beautiful hand-blown glass lightshades, especially the clusters of pendants, and the stemmed round shades.

Famille Summerbelle create beautiful paper cut style designs for wallpaper, maps, teatowels and other decorative items.

I loved the hand drawn designs on ceramic plates by Patrick Laing, illustrating the entire process of making ceramics, from digging the clay, processing it, firing, creating the transfer print design, to the final stage of selling in the shops. They are absolutely beautiful.

I was impressed with Mini Moderns, very retro looking designs produced by London design agency Absolutely Zero Degrees.

Last but not least I absolutely love the work of Abigail Borg, a British illustrator and surface pattern designer.

Brooklyn Brownstone interiors

2011-10-12T21:41:00.000+01:00

Unusual interiors from Brooklyn Brownstones, somewhere I hope to visit one day (Brooklyn, that is!).

12 Days of Christmas card set

2011-10-10T12:20:00.002+01:00

My first set of Christmas cards, based on the 12 Days of Christmas song, originally designed for quilting squares. I've illustrated one verse on each card, with the wording from that verse on the back, and blank in the middle. There's an additional card, unrelated, of Christmas houses in the same style, below. The style is folk, I guess, and a bit offbeat! I'll be selling them in sets of 4, 8 and 12 on etsy ~~soon~~ - ~~watch this space!~~ available NOW here!

work in progress

2011-10-08T14:20:00.002+01:00

I had grand plans for this stencil in my downstairs loo - but I didn't line up the design over the 2 walls very well so now need to redo the right hand wall. I hope to paint it white this weekend, ready to stencil again soon!

Here's what it looked like before:

Sydney terraced houses make it onto etsy

2011-10-06T21:26:00.000+01:00

... at last!

available here.

Afternoon tea with lilies

2011-09-28T12:59:00.000+01:00

I just sent this painting to a happy client - it was commissioned recently. To read more about this painting, please click here to go to my art blog.

cosy rooms to cheer us up as winter approaches...

2011-09-25T11:36:00.003+01:00

traditional kitchen design by austin kitchen and bath Palmer Todd

modern living room design by cincinnati media and blogs VisuaLingual

mediterranean family room design by miami interior designer Elias Benabib, Corp.

eclectic living room design

traditional kitchen design by chicago kitchen and bath Stonebreaker Builders & Remodelers

eclectic dining room design by media and blogs A Few Things From My Life

all the above from houzz

country living

the brick house

source unknown

giveaway winner

2011-09-24T20:44:00.002+01:00

the giveaway winner is Bruce! Please email me your address so I can post the poster to you! Thanks for entering everyone else :)

new poster giveaway

2011-09-21T10:50:00.001+01:00

I'm giving away a new poster* (well it's not really new, but a different colourway of an existing poster)! The only problem is that I haven't figured out how those random generator thingies work so please bear with me! Leave a comment if you would like to win! I'll pick a name randomly at 9am Saturday London time - good luck! :)
*Retro Breakfast in Blue

Clever son

2011-09-18T14:23:00.000+01:00

My son just started studying photography for his A Levels. He's really into it - so enthusiastic about the assignments! He took these photos to show the differences in depth of field with different apertures - I love the color combinations he's used here. And below is what he wrote about aperture, which explains it better than I ever could!

What is aperture?

An aperture is a hole that is made out of several blades that allows light to travel into the camera. The size of the aperture is measured in f-stops, for example: when the aperture is fully opened it is at f/2.8 and when the aperture is almost closed it is at f/22. Some lenses can reach an aperture less then f/2.8 and above f/22. The aperture doesn’t only control the amount of light entered in, it also controls how much depth of field is put into the photo (as seen below). When the aperture is at a higher f-stop (f/22, smaller hole), it can let the foreground and the background be in compete focus but let less light in. When the aperture is at a lower f-stop (f/2.8, bigger hole), it can only focus on one thing but can also let more light into the camera. The first photo below shows the result of f/2.8 as the background is out of focus whilst the foreground is in focus. As the aperture gets smaller it can focus on more objects but let less light in. From the point where the camera is not focused, to the point where the camera is focused, is known as depth of field.

Rustic Contemporary Kitchen Design

2011-09-15T18:03:00.001+01:00

Hi, I'm Susi, a writer for Design Shuffle, a fabulous social media site where you can share your own design projects and browse through tens of thousands of photos from designers from around the world. One of my favorite parts of my job is guest blogging for great blogs like The Homely Place. I'm excited to be visiting this week and writing about rustic contemporary kitchen design ideas.

At first glance rustic and contemporary styles would seem to be too different to work together in a cohesive design. So wrong. The rough, aged nature of rustic design is the perfect counterpoint to the sleek, minimalism of contemporary style. Take a look at these eight rustic contemporary kitchens and see if you agree.

Thanks for letting me and Design Shuffle come and visit. Enjoy!

Est Magazine via

This contemporary kitchen with rustic pendant shades was the picture that inspired this post. Love the mix of smooth, clean contemporary white and handmade, natural and rustic elements.

From the Right Bank via

Minimalist white and rustic wood create a sleek contemporary kitchen in this antique farmhouse. European designers have been blending contemporary kitchens with rustic spaces for years.

Country Living via

Industrial contemporary elements mix with farmhouse in this rustic kitchen. Love the industrial stools and lighting with the rustic wood island.

Ideias de Fim de Semana via

This small cozy rustic kitchen is decked out in stainless steel counters and appliances that add a decidedly contemporary style.† Love the rustic stone wall behind the stove.

The Decorista via

Unfinished wood floors add a rustic touch to this contemporary industrial inspired kitchen.† Inspired kitchen design ideas--open storage for pans, including cast iron skillets typical of rustic style, and vintage pendant lights warm up the cool contemporary space.

Country Living via

Rustic contemporary is a blend of old and new.† The use of old timber or barn wood shelves with a contemporary limestone mosaic backsplash is a great example. Mix antique ceramics with contemporary pieces.

Busy Being Fabulous via

Scandinavian designer get the rustic contemporary style right and gives us kitchen design ideas to dream about. This kitchen is all sleek appliances and finishes in a rustic white washed wood space.

Pininterest via

This kitchen in a brick arched space is a minimalist masterpiece. The lack of upper storage keeps the lines streamlined.† Gorgeous.

The guest blog above was created by Design Shuffle, a social media network for inspiration to those who enjoy interior design and showcasing Los Angeles interior designers to New York interior designers.

est magazine issue no.2

2011-09-12T13:43:00.000+01:00

Hope you all had a great weekend!
It was a long wait for the 2nd issue of est magazine (which I had previously posted about here) but worth it - just look at these gorgeous photos!

Kate Spade

2011-09-08T16:24:00.002+01:00

This is just one of many reasons I would like to live in New York! (well maybe for about a year, anyway)... I wish Kate Spade would sell outside the US as I would love one of these mugs - they are just my cup of tea!

Mexico meets Morocco - Safi Suzani

2011-09-07T09:39:00.001+01:00

Beautiful Suzani style designs from Kathryn Ireland's Mexico meets Morocco collection. My fav's are the Safi Suzani group.

Autumn

Chocolate Cherry

Fiesta

Indigo Passion

Australia: the next great hope for climate

2011-09-05T09:45:00.000+01:00

500,000

418,641

418,641 have signed. Help us get to 500,000

Posted: 30 August 2011 Right now, a major climate fight is blowing up in Australia -- the government is about to pass a law that would cut carbon emissions and get polluters to pay. But big businesses, backed by Rupert Murdoch, are trying to kill the bill. This carbon pricing law is a win win measure -- it will push dirty businesses towards clean production and tax polluters, generating more resources for working families. If it passes, it will spur other major emitters to follow suit and could be the next best hope for climate. But Murdoch's megaphone of fear is massive -- he owns seventy percent of Australia's press. If together we can drown out his campaign to crush the bill with messages of hope from across the world, we could help it pass. This battle is being fought on the Australian air waves now. Sign the urgent petition to back this bold initiative -- when we reach 250,000 signatures, we’ll run inspiring radio ads that deliver our global messages, lay out the benefits of the law and rouse public support:

Please click on this post to go to the Avaaz website and sign the petition. This is a very important step for Australia and for the world.

Royal Academy Christmas gifts and cards

2011-08-31T21:43:00.000+01:00

We're at that time of year again - time to start thinking about Christmas! The Royal Academy are well prepared with their lovely gifts and cards on their website:

Gillian Ayres RA - round plate from the Royal Academy as part of their limited edition gifts

Gillian Ayres RA - oval plate from the Royal Academy as part of their limited edition gifts

A Garden in Winter - John Nash RA (Christmas card)

Blackbird in the Snow - Mary Fedden RA (Christmas card)

a fresh look at kitchens

2011-08-26T12:15:00.001+01:00

rue magazine issue 6

2011-08-20T12:17:00.000+01:00

I've been so busy lately I haven't had much time to search the internet for beautiful interiors, let alone blog about them! I finally caught up today with some great rooms from Rue magazine. issue no.6.

new artistic visions shop

2011-08-19T12:35:00.002+01:00

Here's the new shop! From the outside and the inside. We're officially open now so please pop in to say 'hello'!

And here are some of the calendars we've made as a gift to our guests on the opening day, featuring my designs!

house decoration

2011-08-13T13:37:00.002+01:00

Marimekko Siirtolapuutarha mug

Somehow, buildings and houses drawn as designs are so addictive - I can't get enough of them! I was planning to create an 'all-over' design from the many windows from my own 'house' designs but then found these (below) - someone's already done it!!

above 4: Eye Spy design from Citta Design

Copenhagen tea towel from Ferm Living

Folk Home cushion from John Lewis

source unknown

Love these hand-drawn houses from Robin Hood Bay on mugs by Jessica Hogarth

Margaret Olley and Ben Quilty

2011-08-08T12:24:00.001+01:00

I was saddened over the weekend to hear from my mum that my favourite artist, Margaret Olley passed away on 26th July at the age of 88. Apparently she was working on about 40 paintings for a show in September - her first in many years. My work is massively influenced by her, particularly still life and interiors, or views of the back garden out the window. She just painted whatever she liked, not trying to be fashionable or popular or being of a particular style - she made her own style.

This is a small excerpt from The Sydney Morning Herald article on her death: "Olley was a free-spirited and independent woman who never married or had children. It was not a role she was cut out for, she said.

She once described herself as "a one-woman band, too independent to be subservient to anyone".

But she had a number of enduring friendships, including with Friend who once described her as "sensible and sensitive and tender, stubborn and intelligent, proud, simple and complicated".

Olley grew up on sugar-cane farms in northern NSW and Queensland. At 19 she began studying art at East Sydney Technical College where "my life began, I was like a flower suddenly pollinated".

She held her first solo show in 1948 and more than 90 others have followed.

She battled alcohol in her early years and depression in later but defeated both.

She continued to paint most days.

Asked to describe her body of work once she replied: "I never see myself fitting in anywhere. I just like to lose myself in the work, let the painting take over."

AAP reports: In 2006, Olley was awarded Australia's highest civilian honour, the Companion of the Order, for service as one of Australia's most distinguished artists, for philanthropy to the arts, and for encouragement of young and emerging artists.
"It's such a great award. I'm overawed," Olley said at the time.
"I thought just judges and just very important people got it.
"I'm not important. I just do what I want to do."

This year's Archibald Prize was won by Ben Quilty with his portrait of Margaret Olley. I found this lovely interview on You Tube by Margaret Throsby with both Margaret Olley and Ben Quilty (above video).

Artist Ben Quilty with his kids and an Archibald-winning portrait of Margaret Olley, and the subject herself, at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney. Picture: Alan Pryke Source: The Courier-Mail

Untitled (Interior)

Jersey Rd, Paddington

a couple of current projects

2011-08-04T08:19:00.000+01:00

In the midst of opening our shop and getting cards, posters and other items ready to sell, I have been trying to work through a couple of ongoing projects at home. I repainted our downstairs cloakroom white (it was red, which I really miss!) as an undercoat for a complex stencil design, which I have only just finished cutting out by hand. I printed it on acetate so it can be used all over the walls without going soggy. The design is copied from a Sydney terrace house balcony railing design in wrought iron. I am going to stencil it black and white!

After reading about Thea's fantastic upholstery experience I got hold of these old chairs from a charity shop near our shop. I have some lovely striped fabric to recover the red velvet one (above) with, but it needs a lot of work. I intend to start pulling the fabric off it this weekend if I can. I can't wait to start sanding the other 2 (below) and deciding which colour to repaint them.

Many thanks to Bowie from print and pattern blog for the lovely post on my new etsy posters last week!

Kirstie Allsopp

2011-08-02T14:58:00.000+01:00

I adore these pretty items from Kirstie Allsopp's new range!

etsy update

2011-07-22T17:39:00.000+01:00

I've just updated my etsy shop with 7 posters for sale. They are all digital prints designed from hand-drawn images. I've deliberately designed them to fit in an Ikea Ribba frame which is 42x52cm assembled, and has an inner mount-board measurement of 29x39cm. Please have a browse if you get time!

ikea rooms

2011-07-18T09:55:00.000+01:00

some lovely ikea bedroom ideas from their website this morning

Rose Hilton

2011-07-09T12:24:00.002+01:00

Life Class Painting at Botallack, 2010

I was at a friend's house last weekend, flicking through her House & Garden magazines, as you do. I came across the artist Rose Hilton whose work resonated with me immediately. These are the 2 paintings from the magazine, which a couple had designed their entire home decor around. I can totally understand why - the paintings are so vibrant! Rose Hilton is based in St Ives, Cornwall, which has a huge artist community.
both images from Rose Hilton

the changing light

2011-07-07T18:18:00.001+01:00

As always, I've been getting distracted by the changes in light as we go through the day, especially with the recent stormy weather making everything much more interesting than normal (the sky, clouds, reflections etc.). Here are some photos capturing what I find too fascinating to ignore, so I hope others will enjoy them too.

sunset, after the storm (taken from the porch, hence the light reflection in the glass)

morning sunlight in the hallway

garden reflection in the interior window of my kitchen looking through towards living room & hallway

sunset over neighbouring houses & backyards

my son, 1 year ago (yes we are all mac-addicts in this house!)

garden ramblings

2011-07-04T11:35:00.000+01:00

This part of the garden has waited almost 12 months to be prepared for planting and it finally happened recently. I hope my hydrangeas will spread and fill most of this space, allowing a small amount of space for dahlias and other flowering perennials such as peonies and lavender (see below). Down below are some of our neighbours' gardens which I really like and am taking inspiration from!

after planting

well laid out Japanese inspired garden

love the messy unkempt look here

hebe and grasses are a great combination

a new business project

2011-06-28T13:06:00.001+01:00

You might have noticed I haven't been blogging much lately, or doing much creative work.... and there's a reason for it. We have a very exciting project happening, which we hope will be a big success - we are moving our business into the high street! A year ago we found this empty shop and after negotiating the lease we finally got the key on a temporary basis and as the building needs a lot of work we are being allowed to fit out our shop in the mean time! It's going to be a design studio, printing shop and photography studio all in one. Here are some photos of the progress so far, all designed and built by my talented husband:

the front counter still to be painted and have the top added on

recovering the office partitions with some funky denim fabric (forgot to take a pic of the finished product!)

2011-06-20T13:31:00.001+01:00

Yesterday the kids and I went for a walk in the evening in a lovely woodland near our home. It really is a very beautiful area and would be a great place for a photo shoot.

2011-06-12T08:40:00.000+01:00

wow - I've got 70 followers! Thank you for following, I really appreciate it, even though I haven't been very regular in my blogging lately. Whenever I get to the landmark of 100 followers I shall celebrate with a card giveaway of new designs (as pictured), and perhaps throw in an alphabet poster (still to come on etsy)!

2011-06-10T14:37:00.001+01:00

We have fortunately had a lot of heavy rain lately, after no rain for almost 2 months - unheard of in the UK! My fascination is with the blackest darkest clouds overhead, waiting to spill their nectar on the parched earth. They look especially dramatic behind sunlit trees and houses.

My phone took this panorama with an app called Photosynth which 'stitches' the images together. The 2 black and white houses are actually directly opposite each other on this road.

Spira Haga fabric

2011-06-04T14:20:00.000+01:00

Spira Haga Sand fabric by Bitte Stenström

Spira Haga Green and Grey cushion

Spira Haga Turquoise cushion

don't they look lovely together?

all images from hus & hem

sophie dunlop

2011-05-25T18:23:00.001+01:00

apple blossoms

I've just discovered the work of Sophie Dunlop, an Australian artist. The daughter of the late Brian Dunlop, a renowned Australian painter, Sophie has successfully established herself as an artist in her own right. Her still life work featured here is exquisite. I prefer the stronger coloured palette to the paler ones, but all of them are absolutely beautifully painted.

blossoms

golden light

magnolia and japonica

moroccan still life with persimmons

moroccan still life with lemons

oriental still life

pompeii still life

quinces and peaches with embroidery

spring bloom

all images from Sophie Dunlop

pink peonies

2011-05-17T14:35:00.000+01:00

Some lovely peonies from my garden. They have only just opened up this week! The images on the left are yesterday's and on the right, today's. Can't wait to see how they change by tomorrow!

banksia in london

2011-05-01T17:39:00.001+01:00

What?? Where am I? What is this place??! Australian native plants in front of London apartments? Yes it's the new display of Australian native plants organised by Kew Gardens in front of the British Museum. What a treat!

wollemi pine

a touch of outback

me in front of a jurassic palm

black boy

banksia

regent street in all it's glory (post royal wedding)

i like red

2011-04-28T08:42:00.000+01:00

Some lovely inspiring red rooms and furniture. That colour really does cheer me up!

homes and antiques magazine

homes and gardens

house to home

living etc

earth day

2011-04-22T07:50:00.000+01:00

Our contribution to Earth Day is to make these little notebooks from all the paper offcuts we end up with in our printing business. My husband has made the books and my daughter has decorated them. She's giving them as gifts to her friends. An attractive way to recycle paper and avoid wastage!

2011-04-20T12:51:00.000+01:00

I just had to take this photo of a village sign not far from where I live. Nice to have some English towns twinned with Aussie ones!

red and turquoise

2011-04-19T07:06:00.001+01:00

alexandra rowley

country living

donna grayson

One of my favourite colour combos

more food updates

2011-04-17T21:52:00.003+01:00

Phew! That was a busy week!! I didn't have time to post up photos of Mondays' food before we went to Birmingham for a couple of exhibitions: The Gadget Show and Sign & Digital, which were both interesting in their own way. We stayed at a ghastly hotel as I booked the whole trip for the Easter holidays far too late - will have to make sure I book extra early next time! Problem is, we're not very good at planning things long term as sometimes the timing is wrong, work comes up at that time... all the problems of being self-employed!

Above: smoked (and mashed) aubergine, and chapati making. I forgot to photograph the finished product so will try to remember next time!

Below: today's brunch: poached egg on Vegemite toast with freshly ground pepper - yum!

yellow rice

2011-04-10T15:11:00.001+01:00

There's a risk that this could turn into a food blog, especially if I start posting my recipes. Luckily I don't have time to write up all my recipes here, but this one is very easy. It helps if you have an Indian style pressure cooker. We often have this for lunch when working from home.
First fry some cumin seeds, cardamom pods, dried red chillies and black peppercorns in ghee or oil. You can also add cloves, cinnamon etc. Add ground turmeric. Throw in chopped onion and carrots; when the onion has slightly browned add frozen peas, 1 tsp salt and washed Basmati rice. Stir the rice into the fried mixture. About half a cup of rice should be enough for 2 people. If you use half a cup of rice, then add around one cup of water (water should be approx. double the rice quantity). Put the lid on and wait for 2 whistles (in a conventional saucepan you can bring it to the boil then put the lid on and turn the heat right down to low so it can steam). When cooked sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander and serve with mango chutney and plain yogurt.

after a fashion

2011-04-07T22:26:00.001+01:00

In February we designed an exhibition stand for a friend exhibiting shoes at Pure London. Whilst there, I discovered 3 fashion designers who design the kind of clothing I used to make in the 80s (when a teenager...). I love the way they look pieced together and random, but are actually very well designed and made.

(One day in the future I might post a photo of me in one of my smock dresses, made from an old dyed bedsheet, teamed with Doc Martin boots)

This first designer is Ewa I Walla from Sweden.

Next up is Ian Mosh (check out the boots in the 2nd image below)...

There must be something about Swedish fashion - below is Olars Ulla, again from Sweden.

my trip to london

2011-04-04T16:47:00.001+01:00

Today I had to be in London to renew our Aussie passports so I made the most of it by walking around trafalgar square and up to regent street.... but all I had on me was my iPhone as I hadn't planned to photograph the day... anyway, here are a few snaps from being out and about.

countdown to the paralympics (apparently the olympic countdown was on the other side of the stand) and st martins in the fields

lunch in a small turkish cafe on the strand

courtauld gallery stairs and baker street station

baker street station

outside the national gallery and inside the courtauld

roast chicken for dinner

2011-04-03T11:28:00.000+01:00

Last night I roasted a chicken with a simple vege accompaniment of roasted carrots, potatoes, sweet potato and onion. It was still light enough at 7 o'clock to photograph this outside!

today's breakfast

2011-04-02T14:51:00.003+01:00

As another way of practicing my photography (and styling skills at the same time) I am going to try to photograph food we have on the weekend. Today's plan was to make radish parathas (for breakfast) but we had no chapati flour in the cupboard, so I made Poha instead (with chai). This is an Indian flattened rice, fried together with peanuts, curry leaves and spices. I also add peas to mine, and garnish with chopped fresh coriander.... delicious! In the right photo are long red radishes from our local Indian vege shop - I love the shape and colour of them, especially with all the leaves!

est magazine

2011-04-02T10:45:00.000+01:00

There's a brill new green eco-friendly online australian interiors magazine (whheeewwww) called est! Full of fresh interiors filled with light, artists' homes and inspiration. Best part is it's available to view in full online. This is something I've been waiting for!

all images from est

more red still life

2011-03-26T12:06:00.000Z

This time I'm photographing my still life instead of painting it. Trying to understand how photographers work with the light, and I must admit, it's not as easy as it looks! It's all about controlling the light, something which I didn't achieve so well in these shots, but I learnt a lot!

purple love

2011-03-23T14:04:00.005Z

So here are a few recent homemade bits and pieces. Top left: Priya in a floral print jersey smock-style top (made by me); top and bottom right: Priya's idea to reuse the ends of fat candles as jewellery holders; bottom left: Priya's patchwork cushion cover which fits on a 56cm square cushion for her room (her first ever sewing machine project); middle right: the back of the cushion, with 2 tiny purple flower buttons to secure it shut. Did you guess that her favourite colour is purple?

Hare + Klein

2011-03-21T13:45:00.000Z

This week desire to inspire posted on Hare + Klein. They are an interior design firm based in Sydney and have been shortlisted for the Australian Interior Design Awards - I can see why! I was blown away by their portfolio. This is a rural house they have (interior) designed, somewhere in NSW no doubt.

all images Hare + Klein

japan love

2011-03-18T21:34:00.001Z

I was horrified by these images of Japan that a friend sent a link to: same angle satellite images of the devastated areas before and after the earthquake/tsunami. Today they revealed the exposed radiation levels are much higher than they wanted to admit. If any good can come of this disaster, let it be that we stop building nuclear power stations globally.
Yuriage in Natori in 2008,
and in 2011 after tsunami.

Fujitsuka in Sendai in 2008, and in 2011 after tsunami.

Terashima in Iwanuma in 2003, and in 2011 after tsunami.

images from Los Angeles Times

Sharyn Cairns

2011-03-17T17:27:00.000Z

I've had a cold all week and today no voice so am taking advantage of lying on the sofa all day with the laptop, looking up nice things on the internet to blog about. Lately I've become more interested in developing my photography skills and along with learning the more technical stuff, I love the fun side of it too - looking at others' work. A favourite Aussie photographer is Sharyn Cairns who I blogged about here. Her work is stunning, being mostly of food and interiors, mostly shot from an interesting angle... with very dramatic lighting. I can learn a lot from her! She usually works with 2 outstanding Australian stylists - Glen Proebstel and Megan Morton (but more on them later). I'm not much of a writer especially when it comes to art, so I'll let these images speak for themselves!

all images from Sharyn Cairns

modern provincial industrial

2011-03-15T10:30:00.005Z

This house in West Hobart caught my eye as I was real estate browsing. Built in 1885, it's Victorian Italianate with masses of space. The owner has renovated and decorated in a sparse but stylish way, maximising on space and natural light, sticking to a black and white colour scheme throughout. Loving the b&w kitchen!
From domain.

grand designs australia

2011-03-08T11:43:00.003Z

I was lucky enough to catch the first ever episode of Grand Designs Australia when I was there. Unfortunately i can't watch them from the UK, but I have been able to see snippets of most episodes on the website. The first episode was fantastic but the story was tragic - Chris had just finished building his dream house 2 weeks before it was completely destroyed in the Victorian bushfires of February 2009. This episode shows how he rebuilds his home, modifying it to withstand another bushfire (hopefully that won't happen in the same area again). This house is a perfect mix of modern style with abundant use of natural materials and sensitivity to the environment.

all images from Lifestyle Channel Australia

garden work

2011-03-08T10:48:00.003Z

It's been a very busy month, hence not much time for blogging. I've been out in the garden trying to weed it ready for new planting this spring. At last the sun has moved higher in the sky - our garden is quite dark in winter as the sun barely reaches it! So with all the lovely bright sunshine we can start using our garden again! yay!

hard-pruned weigela to promote new growth this spring

our Cordyline Australis died with the heavy frosts of January - so sad!

new agapanthus bulb sprouting (can you spot it?)

hard pruned all shrubs before new growth

camera experiments

2011-02-19T12:49:00.002Z

a couple of pics taken with camera apps on my iphone - the top one is Hipstamatic and the one below ShakeItPhoto which develops with the sound and appearance of a polaroid. I have to say, I love the Hipstamatic effect above, but you can't see what you're photographing through the viewfinder so it's a little difficult to compose the photo.

Below: Hipstamatic first then ShakeItPhoto of the same interior view - in this instance I prefer the ShakeItPhoto. Which do you prefer?

funky dining areas

2011-02-08T18:43:00.002Z

above 4: living etc

grand designs magazine

Cressida Campbell

2011-02-04T17:40:00.003Z

A slice of life from us scots

Cressida Campbell's woodblock prints are one offs. She painstakingly draws the design directly onto the wood, carves out the line with an engraving tool and finally paints in the colours with watercolours. One print will be made. Her art is simple, unpretentious and decorative without being over-worked. To quote John McDonald from her website: "In bringing us back to simple things, Campbell is exploring a decorative art for our times - an art that avoids the overheated demand for meanings and messages as surely as the most austere piece of minimalist sculpture. The vital difference is that her prints almost radiate with the pleasure of their own making. It is a quality that alerts the viewer to the complementary pleasures of looking - those necessary, timeless pleasures that our television sets have been helping us to forget."

Through the windscreen from prints and printmaking

Cressida Campbell's book cover from design public

Studio from Mosman Art Gallery

Mangoes and Peonies

Plums with Indian Cloth

Hydrangeas with Magnolia Leaves

above 3 from Studio International

page from Vogue Living Australia via design public

from vt interiors

Pyrmont from Annette Larkin

Cyclone baby

2011-02-03T10:43:00.000Z

My heart goes out to the people of Queensland. First the floods, now the cyclone... I've been trying to keep up with the situation via the Sydney Morning Herald website. I wanted to share this lovely story of new life during the cyclone from the Herald today:

Amid the chaos and devastation of Cyclone Yasi, a yet-to-be named baby girl has been born at a Cairns evacuation centre.

Akiko Pruss went into labour at the evacuation centre at Redlynch State College at 2.45am (AEST).

The baby girl was delivered healthy at 6.09am (AEST) after a three-hour labour.

Akiko and her German husband Christian, live in Cairns, and the baby will be their second child.

Cairns councillor Linda Cooper said the baby would not be called Yasi.

"Akiko doesn't like that name at all," she said.

The little girl arrived right on time.

"Today's actually her due date," Ms Cooper said.

She said there were no scales equipment at the evacuation centre to weigh the newborn.

English midwife Carol and her husband Andrew Weeks, who are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary on holidays in Cairns, delivered the baby.

Ms Pruss gave birth in the first aid room of the college and was supported by her mother, who had travelled from Japan to be with her.

"The grandmother is looking after the little toddler," she said.

Ms Cooper said Akiko wanted a home birth and did not accept the offer for upgraded medical facilities at Fretwell Park in the city's south.

"When you get to that stage of labour you don't care any longer," she said.

The couple have requested privacy from the media and won't let photographers in, although a huge press contingent is building outside the room.

Premier Anna Bligh said news of the birth would bring a much needed lift to people's spirits.

"In the midst of all of this devastation, new life in some very touching circumstances," she told the Nine Network.

"I'm sure it will bring a lot of smiles to faces in that centre today after such a difficult and distressing night."

Ms Bligh said two babies were also born at Innisfail Hospital last night - one at 10.43pm and another at 10.44pm (AEST) - right in the midst of the storm.

"Innisfail, right in the line of fire, so it would have been an anxious time for all of those staff as well," she told Channel Seven.

"I understand the mum in the evacuation centre has ruled out calling her baby Yasi, and I suspect the other two mums will do the same.

"I think these will be some of the most sought-after baby photos globally."

inspiring rooms

2011-01-21T20:39:00.000Z

above 3 images : rue magazine

The wonderful home of Ben Fogel and his wife Marina - it is so colourful!

above 3 images : living etc

sunny sydney

2011-01-20T11:45:00.002Z

16 house

Here are some favourite photos of sunny Sydney - a comforting reminder that the sun does actually continue to exist somewhere! (not to mention the gorgeous terrace houses in most of the shots!)

Tim in Sydney

Rahulaa

Kate's Photo Diary

from someone on flickr

52 suburbs

Marcela's blog

V&A prints

2011-01-14T14:26:00.000Z

I love some of these custom prints from the V&A shop

all images courtesy of the V&A

stuffed capsicums

2011-01-06T20:28:00.001Z

I've never cooked this before but have wanted to for ages. So this evening I experimented with success! They were delicious. I just made my usual lamb mince pasta sauce (with the addition of some risotto rice for solidity), par boiled 8 capsicums of various colours for 3 minutes (green taste the best when cooked), stuffed them with the cooked mince filling and popped the lids back on, then oven cooked them at 180°C for around 45 minutes. Serve with salad.

teenage bedrooms

2011-01-02T12:30:00.002Z

With the start of a new year, I feel like freshening up and updating some parts of the house - after all, it is now almost 5 years since it was last painted and it shows! We will start with the kids' rooms - they need wardrobes, new furniture and a new look for their beds (maybe paint over the stained pine bedframes)! I've found some teen bedroom inspiration on the net - enjoy!

channel 4 homes

unknown

ideal home

channel 4 homes

above 4: home house design

Khadi soap

2010-12-29T16:50:00.001Z

My husband has just made yet another trip to India and returned in the snow. He bought Khadi soaps - rose water, lavender, fruit, jasmine and many others. (Khadi is the word for hand-spun and hand-woven cotton cloth in India and was the name given to the movement started by Gandhi to encourage use of Indian pure cotton in India during the British rule there before Independence. There are now many Khadi stores all over India selling a variety of hand-made items.) This rose water soap is handmade with only rose essential oils, glycerine and soap base. The label says (these are the exact words and spellings): "rose water soap helps in giving the coolness & freshness of the body by which tention & tiredness of the wholeday does not exit" (i guess they mean 'exist'!). So cute!

xmas wishes

2010-12-24T12:05:00.003Z

wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!