Ben & Phoebe's Beautiful Wedding

It was a wedding like no other.  It was the most beautiful party for the 2 most beautiful people you could ever wish to meet. 

They have been through more than you could ever imagine and this weekend was in their own words - 'the greatest of their lives'.

Everyone embraced colour for what was a divine garden party at Amileka - a seriously gorgeous private home at Federal in Northern NSW.   Even Brad got into the swing of things with his navy and white polka dot bow tie.



That's my mother in that gorgeous patterned dress and Jen's hot pink Josh Goot dress was STUNNING!!



The flowers were a hit.  This Dahlia measured about 12cm across!!

Phoebe wore Vera Wang...of course!!

We used lots of vintage blue and white vases mixed with old glass bottles, jugs and tea pots which came from family members for the table flower arrangements.  No new vases were purchased. Every single flower came from our garden.  It was my gift to my cousin and Phoebe.


Phoebe's divine mum, Meg made little bottles of chutney for each guest.  The recipe was her father's.  There were so many references to the importance of family at this wedding which made the day so deeply meaningful and beautiful.

The morning after the wedding Ben's mum and dad, my Aunty Jane and Uncle Rob, prepared a huge breakfast at Ben & Phoebe's beach house for all of the wedding guests.  It was so beautiful.  The tables were set with pretty tablecloths from B&S and fresh frangipani and hibiscus.  I have no idea how they did it after what was a huge night of partying.

There was no wiping that beautiful smile from Phoebe's face all weekend.  She is the happiest girl on this planet.

And as for my Brad, he finished up like this...absolutely tanked!!

Here's to you Ben & Phoebe and the wonderful life you have in front of you!!  We love you both SO much...
xx
Anna

Parties, Weddings, Installations...

Over the weekend I met a reader from New York at a party for my soon-to-be cousin-in-law.  She said that one of the things she loves about me is that I always let my readers know when I am going away from the blog or not going to post for a few days.  Well, I must apologise to her and to you as I seem to have been missing in action since last Wednesday with no such notice of absence.  I'm unsure where all of those days have gone to...

So, what have I been up to you might ask?  Well, I won't delve into every single detail however, here's a snapshot of a beautiful bedroom I just finished for a lovely teenage girl.  It was an absolute delight working with her and her mum.  I think she is the most polite, effervescent and happy teenager I have ever met. 

The day we installed the furniture into her room, I took her some dahlias from my garden which we arranged on her antique bedside table I found for her.  On the other side of the lovely upholstered antique French bed we placed a Stuart Membery chest of drawers.  I love the mix of furniture we chose for her room and I must admit I found it very hard parting with the antique bed.  However, I know she will cherish it and that makes me very happy!! 

I wish I got some better photos...I seem to be always saying that but I'm always in such a hurry.

This week is a very big and exciting week for my family as this Saturday my cousin is getting married to his beautiful fiance Phoebe at the most divine property in northern NSW.  We have family flying in from Canada, Sweden, New York, Holland and interstate.  Everyone is coming together which is just so exciting.  I have been given the lovely job of arranging the flowers for the tables.  I am using  the beautiful dahlias and zinnias from our garden which is very exciting.  I can't believe how many flowers we have.  It's quite amazing and so thrilling to be able to use my own flowers for my cousin's wedding.

Oh and tomorrow night is Chanel.  As an update to my post from the other week, Chanel called today to ask for Brad's last name.  Maybe they read my post!!xx

Anna

x

First Dahlias Flowering

Earlier in the year I was so impressed by the pretty Dahlias one of my clients had flowering in her garden, I decided to plant some in our garden for this Summer.  About 4 1/2 weeks ago we planted 60 Dahlia Bulbs and this week I cut my very first bunch.  My Mum and my Grandmother and Aunty came over yesterday afternoon and each of them picked their own large bunch to take home.  It really is such a joy to be able to give flowers from my garden to my family and friends.  I can't wait for the Asters and Zinnias to flower in the week ahead...

Happy Days

Throughout life there are many happy days which come and go.  Some we forget and some we treasure as a memory.  For me I think today was one of those days I will long remember as a very happy day with my family. 

I set up our dining table in our garden and we celebrated Fathers Day with lunch on the lawn with my parents, my brother and the boys.  I picked the flowers from our garden this morning and arranged them in a pretty crystal vase which was given to us as a Wedding gift.

Actually talking about Wedding gift, Brad & I celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary last week.  I can't believe we have been married for 10 years.  Where did all that time go?  Harry left us a little reminder on the table in our lounge room.  He actually went out into the garden and picked the flowers himself and put them in the vase.  I am sure that boy will make for a wonderful husband one day...might need to do some work on his spelling though!!

Mum did all the cooking today as usual except for the Strawberries.  Some were from our garden and some were from the fruit shop.  I just cut them up and dusted them with a very small amount of icing sugar and voila they were delish!

Harry & Max played on the swing, they kicked the football, they drove Max's car around and around the garden...

They even managed to get Grandad onto the swing...

Our day ended with a messy table which is always a good sign of a fun time had by all...

And a couple of take home alfoil wrapped bunches of flowers from our garden...

Other than having my other brother, who is away working in Western Australia, here with us today I don't think I could have had a nicer day.  It was perfect in every way...

xx
Anna

Alfoil Packages

We have this thing in our family of packaging up food parcels in silver alfoil after big family events for everyone to take home.  My grandmother's soirees always end with a divvy up of the amazing left overs which she has often spent days preparing.  This similarly happens at my mother's house too.  But it really hasn't been a thing which happens at my house as I don't love to cook.  It's just not my thing.  I mean I can cook but I really don't get the enjoyment out of it like my mother and my grandmothers do. 

I think I am starting to become known in our family for a different type of silver alfoil package....

Whenever anyone has visited our house lately they have left with a big bundle of fresh flowers from our garden which are wrapped at the base with wet tissues and silver alfoil for the trip home.  Here's the little bundle of fresh lavender, calendulars, basil, bougainvillea etc. I collected out of our garden today for a special family member.  I hope she gets lots of enjoyment out of them this week.

I am yet to tell the family that our huge trellis of sweet peas will be in flower next week...I'm sure they'll all be dropping in for a visit once they know this!!

xx
Anna

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

Happy Easter

The anticipation is building in our household for the Easter Bunny's arrival tonight and for what he might bring.  Today Harry made this large, colourful card for the Easter Bunny which we will leave out tonight along with some carrots and some milk.  It is so fun watching the innocence of young children at times like these.  I am looking forward to our annual Easter Egg hunt in the garden tomorrow morning which I have been preparing for over the last few days.  I hope everyone is enjoying special times with family and friends.  Happy Easter!!

I Love Her

This is my grandmother.  Her name is Ellie and this is what she was wearing when she came to visit me today at Black & Spiro.  She is one of the most stylish women I have ever met and I am so proud to call her my grandmother.  She has done so much for me in my life and I love her so much.

Today

Today I received pretty pink and orange flowers for Valentines Day from my husband which I arranged in a vintage blue and white willow patterned teapot.

Today I obsessed over this fabric and contemplated it for a new project.

Today I cooked Spaghetti for dinner.

Today I did a guest post on my brother's new blog HERE...

My Weekend at Home

Ever since we've moved into the homestead {the term our family and friends use when talking about the house} we just don't seem to want to leave. Weekends are spent here with lots of family and friends dropping in for a swim and for lunch. This weekend was no different. Whilst pottering around the homestead this morning I rearranged some of my blue and white things in the cabinet in our kitchen. I must say I think I really am turning into my mother now...should I be concerned? I haven't used one bit of pink in this cabinet which is such a refreshing change for me.

Whilst Brad was standing in the kitchen this morning preparing lunch for our friends I couldn't stop looking at his navy check shorts and immediately made the decision to get our new dining chairs made in navy and white check. I have been trying to decide on a fabric for our new dining chairs for a while so now, based on Brad's shorts, the decision has been made!

We seem to have a standard menu for kid's at the homestead....sausages on bread with tomato sauce. It's so easy and it seems that most children will eat sausages on a bread roll.

Whilst enjoying a bit of sunshine around the pool today I also enjoyed looking at my orchids which have just bloomed.

I also tried to enjoy a few moments reading one of my gardening books around the pool but Ned just wouldn't leave me alone.

It seemed that all he wanted was my hat.

Ever since we have started swimming in the pool over the last few weeks Ned has been angling at diving in and today he did it. He dived in and then we just couldn't stop him from diving in. It was very funny, I must say.

How was your weekend?

xo

Anna

Memories & Family Traditions

Interior Designer Sister Parish once said...

"Even the simplest wicker basket can become priceless when it is loved and cared for through the generations of a family."

As well as being a fashionable accessory to carry to the beach, a basket can be very useful as decoration in a beach house as shown above & below.

Brisbane Artist Claire Stening's painting of a wicker basket.

This is such a simple yet beautiful tradition to begin. I know one day I will have a barrage of wicker baskets to love which my mother has collected over the years. Ever since I can remember, she has carted her goods and chattels, groceries and clothing to and from our family beach house in wicker baskets - big and small, much to my fathers annoyance. He always insisted that they were such a pain to pack in the car.

Always finding an excuse to use a basket my mother {during our childhood} was often seen traipsing down to the beach from the house with the three of us in tow, a beach umbrella under one arm and a wicker basket over the other arm filled with sunscreen, magazines, buckets and spades, towels, hats, drinks and enough spare change for when the ice cream man turned up.

The life-long obsession my mother has had with baskets has rubbed off on me. Gosh, I hope Harry will be prepared for all the wicker baskets he will inherit one day...

Image 1 - Elle Decor, Image 2 - Toast, Image 3 - Clair Stening

Something Special

In 1968 I wasn't even born but at this time my mother who was 13 years old was already collecting magazine tear sheets of her favourite rooms and houses. I was completely dumb founded recently when, in this month's anniversary edition of Australian Vogue Living a small picture of a room featured in 1968 triggered my memory. I was certain my mother had that exact same picture in her file of favourite tear sheets. I couldn't believe it!! I immediately called my mum and told her and she was just so excited. She pulled out the old picture she had stored away that night (torn edges and a bit yellow with age) but it was the one. How wonderful is that? These are the sorts of things which make life interesting.

It is just so lovely to have a passion for something and I know so many of you out there share the same love for design as I do and as my mum does. But I must say also that it is so wonderful to share an interest with your mum. I often think that she really has had such a huge impact on my style and my love for design and beautiful things. Thanks mum for sharing your creativity with me and for being such a huge and wonderful influence in my life. I know I wouldn't be what I am today without you!!

The above original tear sheet was taken from House & Garden Spring 1968 and was recently featured in Australian Vogue Living as an image which they had used in Vogue Living around the same time.