Straddie Flowers

Last weekend while my mother was arranging her Swamp Mahogany flowers which she picked from the seafood man's house (see Monday's post) I was arranging Banksia which Harry and I picked out in the bush down a sandy track in the middle of the island. The Banksias have all been in bloom over at Straddie over the last month or so which has made the 20 minute drive from the barge over to our house very attractive. I decided to cut some for an arrangement on my dining table and this is what I created.

**Note to my readers abroad Banksias are an iconic Australian native wildflower/plant.

Kitchen Love...

Usually I post white kitchens in my 'Kitchen Love' posts and today is no exception with Bunny Williams' gorgeous kitchen (bottom) but I have also included an ebony stained kitchen which I absolutely adore. I particularly like the contrast of the all-white china collection against the dark cabinetry. I personally wouldn't have this dark stained cabinetry in my own home as I would always have a white kitchen but I do think it looks fantastic and therefore I had to include it in this week's 'Kitchen Love' post!

Photo Credits - Top image - House Beautiful via Mrs Plain Jane, Bottom Image - Bunny Williams via Jen.

Mum's Late Night Emails

Sometimes late at night when I am up on my computer working I start to receive emails from my mother. It's often after she has had a long day at work, cooked dinner for my father and had a few glasses of wine. She too is on the computer working and scouring the internet for inspiration. I thought I'd share the emails she sent me last night as they brightened my day. Here goes...

The first email which I received from her at 8.16pm...

"Do you think Grandma could paint this (my grandmother is an artist)? It already looks a lot like a painting. I found it on Garden Rooms blog."

The second email which I received from her at 8.18pm

"Wouldn't it be nice to find this spot for a glass of wine when you are in France. I really enjoyed the Garden Rooms Blog."

The third email which I received from her at 8.59pm...

"That's a spectacular ceiling."

And finally the 4th email I received from her at 9.26pm...

"I wish I was a princess and then I could have a bedroom like this. Imagine what havoc the Prince (my father) could reek with his TV Dinner tray. We would need Robyn (my mother's house keeper) x 10 just to do the washing."

As you can see by the time she sent me the last email her imagination was running a little wild! I actually laughed my head off when I received the last one because if you knew my father you would understand. As soon as he gets home from work he heads to his bed for the night where he eats his dinner (most nights spilling it all over mum's beautiful bed linen) and watches t.v. and ends up snoring by 8.00pm. No wonder my mother was up emailing me...what fun is a snoring husband!! As I keep on saying to her - maybe you should start a blog mum!!

Thanks for sharing my passion mum - you always continue to inspire me and I absolutely LOVE our night time email chats!!

xxAnna

Images from Top - Miles Redd via Garden Rooms, French Coastline via Garden Rooms, Image source unknown, Charlotte Moss bedroom via Peak of Chic.

Flowers @ Mum's

As you all know we go to Straddie most weekends. My parent's also have a house at Straddie and over the weekend my mum arranged these gorgeous Swamp Mahogany flowers which she picked at the local seafood man's house. She arranged them in one of her blue and white jars and I added a little cluster of her shells. It looked so pretty I thought I'd take a photo and share it with you.

Individual Sense of Style

Australian stylist Shannon Fricke's new book, 'Sense of Style Colour & Space' is gorgeous. I have photographed some of my favourite pages above. Some of the topics Shannon talks about in the book which I really enjoyed reading are style evolving over time, how to personalise the spaces we inhabit and the use of colour in our homes. Shannon says "My interpretation of a sense of style is that it's simply a confidence; the casual ability to bring what seem to be disparate objects together in a room and make them look cohesive, as if they are just made to be united." The beautiful photographs are by photographer Prue Ruscoe. This book, in my opinion is a definite for your design book library!

Pretty

A pretty workspace above via Shabby Chic. Love the vintage artwork leaning against the wall!

P.S. Thanks Jen for posting this pic which I found on your gorgeous blog!

Chairs for Jody

I recently had these chairs custom made for my friend Jody for her beach house at Straddie. They are slip covered in a Mokum fabric from the Australian Botanicals Collection. They look fantastic in her house which she has decorated in a very simple, neutral colour scheme.

E-Zine Inspiration

E-Zine Issue 2 Cover Photo - Melinda Crockett-Maples

"What inspires me? books, magazines,
random things like someone's outfit,
confident women, other
creative people, and so much more!”

VERONICA
Shoppe Owner, Petunia’s Place
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5331844

"What adorns the board inspires me daily."

ERIKA MCPHERSON POWELL
Owner/Designer, Urban Grace Interiors
http://urbangrace.com/

“Old things, looking at things from a new perspective, people who aren't afraid to do it differently, imperfection."

CORI KINDRED
Artist/Blogger/Shoppe Owner
http://www.corikindred.com/

" Being around environments, objects and fabrics
that have an abundance of
color."

MICHELLE RUIZ
Author, Cher Ami
http://cheramibird.blogspot.com/

I absolutely LOVE the monthly inspiration E-Zine provides compiled by the very creative Erin over at Design For Mankind. All of the issues so far have been jam packed with beautiful photographs and quotes. I thought I'd share some of my favourite ones so far as above (I've been meaning to do this for a while now)! Thanks Erin for providing us with this beautiful online inspiration. I very much look forward to issue 4!

Happy Weekend!!

I'm signing off a day early this week as it is a public holiday here tomorrow for ANZAC day. I'm off to the beach again with my little family. I leave you with this beautiful picture of a 50 year old Wisteria tree via House Beautiful. See you next week!!

Wedding Inspiration

I'm not about to become obsessed with weddings at ABT even though I absolutely love seeing wedding images, inspirations and ideas on my favourite wedding devoted blogs such as Snippet & Ink , Style Me Pretty , Toast & Tables and Elizabeth Anne Designs. So you don't have to worry I will definitely leave it up to these lovely ladies to inspire us on the wedding side of things but these beautiful images by Mallory Samson just made me smile. This wedding is in Nantucket and wow I don't think there's much else I can say except this is 'Absolutely Beautiful'!!

A Beautiful Bouquet

What a beautiful wedding bouquet via Mallory Samson Photography via Snippet & Ink!

A Pretty Bedroom

I love this pretty bedroom - a mix of vintage furniture and lots of soft pretty colours. As the article states, the bed is actually metal but is painted to look like bentwood. A French Provencal cabinet and a Swedish writing table both serve as bedside tables. Flower paintings by late Australian Artist Justin O'Brian sit on each side table. I LOVE this room. Click on image to enlarge.

Image taken from Australian Vogue Living Sept/Oct 2006

Another Thank you!

Today is turning out to be Thank you Day!! I would also like to thank Mrs Potter for the lovely post she did on Black & Spiro this week. Mrs Potter lives in Melbourne and actually visited Black & Spiro while she was in Queensland a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately I wasn't there to meet her but she took lots of photos so head on over to her blog to check them out!! Thanks also for the lovely gift you left me Mrs P! Click HERE to read the post.

Image via Icklemissus' photos at Flickr

Soft & Serene

Australian rug designer and importer Robyn Cosgrove's New South Wales Southern Highlands retreat is so pretty, graceful and serene. I particularly love her all white attic bedroom with the touch of pale pink which she says was inspired by the pale Savonnerie-design carpet from Romania. I also love the pink and white rhododendrons which frame the driveway and the white cottage - such a pretty and welcoming entry to this lovely home. Images via Australian Vogue Living.

Pretty Vintage Art

A pretty cluster of vintage paintings in Australian Fashion Designer, Alannah Hill's home via Australian Vogue Living caught my eye today as I was flicking through old magazines in my library at Black & Spiro. I thought I'd share it with you above.

Thank you!

Flowers by Melbourne Florist Pollon

A little thank you to Holly {Decor8} for the lovely mention in her post today over at Real Simple. It's so lovely to have been included in her daily reads list. Decor8 continues to inspire so many people all over the world. Holly's passion for the design industry and her energetic spirit is evident on a daily basis with her wonderful posts not only at Decor8 but also now at Real Simple. Thank you once more Holly for your interest in Absolutely Beautiful Things!!

A Pretty {Kitchen} Collection

A collection of pretty French metal tea pots and coffee pots creates a gorgeous focal point in this kitchen via House Beautiful.

Blog Browsing

After being away for a few days I had a lot of blog browsing to catch up on. One post which I really loved was by Habitually Chic on Ralph Lauren. She has featured lots of beautiful pictures of his Bedford, New York home. It is definitely worth a click of your mouse in Habitually Chic's direction. After I read the post this morning I actually emailed this picture above of his pool and pool house to my mum and as I said in the email to her my house is literally the size of his pool house and in actual fact it reminds me very much of my little house but of course without the huge grounds and huge pool and huge house just nearby!!

More Kitchen Love!!

Do tell me if you are tiring of my 'Kitchen Love' posts but I just keep on finding such beautiful images I feel I need to share with you! These ones above are from House Beautiful. Enjoy!

Vignette Perfection!

I love this beautiful vignette via House Beautiful. Such a great collection of things and so beautifully put together!

By The Seaside

Look at this beautiful historic piece of federation architecture by the seaside in Sorrento, Victoria currently for sale via realestate.com. So beautiful!!

I'm heading to the beach for a few days with my son as it is school holidays here. I'll be back early next week. Bye for now!!

Fabulous Find of the Week!

I wish I had a spot to put this gorgeous girl! An original 1930s French poster advertising the official tour of the Parisian Folies-Bergère cabaret. Such beautiful vibrant colours! Snap it up at Miguel Meirelles.

Recycle - Old Is New Again

I love to recycle old pieces of furniture by recovering them in a gorgeous fabric, re-staining or repainting the legs and even changing some of the detailing like I have on the above chair. I decided to replace the gathered arm detail on this chair with face and piping detail - a little less fussy. Before you buy a new piece of furniture consider updating an old piece as I think it adds a little bit of difference to your home and the best thing of all is that you are bringing life back into an old piece which you may have otherwise disposed of.

Today I Love...

Here are some beautiful images from Shoot Factory...more white backgrounds with sumptuous 'things' hung on walls and placed on old bits of furniture!

Simply Pretty

Such a pretty image from Living Etc. I love the old white painted chest of drawers and the collection of special things on display. The old mannequin proves to be a great idea for hanging jewellery and accessories on and I just love the beautiful fresh flowers. So pretty!!

India Hicks

I never tire of seeing India's absolutely beautiful house so I thought I'd post these fresh images as featured in Domino. Clear evidence that white on white on white with bursts of colour here and there, mixing of furniture styles and collections of special things on display truly works!! Enjoy!!

Photo by Miguel Flores-ViannaJune/July 2007 as featured in Domino magazine