Guest Posts

Hi Everyone,

I have some very special friends who are also very creative and stylish people who I have invited to do a guest post on Absolutely Beautiful Things over the next week or so. Friendship to me is a very important element of my life and without these people I don't think I would be able to do what I do every day. They make me laugh, they make me happy and most of all they are all there to guide me and support me when things aren't going the way they should be. Amongst my group of friends I would like to include my mother as she is the one who has given me all that I have and she always guides me in the right direction. The first post will be from my friend Sally who also works at Black & Spiro with me. I hope you all enjoy hearing their passions.

XOXO

Anna

Black & Spiro

The Photos above are of some of the things I have at Black & Spiro at the moment. I love the vintage cane chair which I had recovered in a Florence Broadhurst design. Placed on the chair are some of my couture remnant cushions. As you can see I am very into yellow. I just hung the yellow taffeta drapes today which replaced the charcoal ones I had there previously. I really love them as they have just brightened up the whole room and I especially like the black Long Island loose cover sofa which is contrast piped in white placed in front of them and the various black, yellow and white cushions.

The Simple Yet Stylish Bedroom

I like all of these bedrooms above. They are all very undecorated and so simply put together yet so, so beautiful. What do you think - would you prefer a completely decorated bedroom or a more relaxed thrown together look like these rooms above?

**NB - I am not certain of my sources for these photographs as I have collected them in my photo file over time. Apologies if I have offended anyone by posting these photos. If so, please email me. Thanks so much!!

A New Blog - Jane d'Avril

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to let you all know about the new blog my design apprentice, Avril has created. Avril started at Black & Spiro last week and my first project for her was to set up her very own blog as a record of her time as my design apprentice. Today she published her first post. To see her site which she has named Jane d'Avril please click here. I think this will be a wonderful site to watch as it will lead us through Avril's journey from where she is today at the very start of her career to where she will be in the future; a place where I hope a very stylish, well educated and innovative young designer resides. Please help me to encourage her by looking at her site and I would love you to leave her the odd comment every now and then to let her know what you think. I look forward to watching her progress and to her posts on Jane d'Avril which she will be publishing 5 times a week. Congratulations Avril, you have taken the first step.

XOXO

Anna

Taryn & Elise Eales - Brisbane Artists

I love the work of Brisbane based paper and textile artists Taryn and Elise Eales (yes they are sisters). I have posted some pictures above of their artwork. Each piece is made using vintage Japanese Kimono. Beautiful!! If anyone is interested in finding out more about these gorgeous pieces just email me.

Exquisite Children's Rooms

I love these exquisite children's rooms above by Serena & Lily. I am currently working on a few children's bedrooms and after seeing these rooms above I feel like redecorating my 4 year old son's bedroom. I love the top boy's bedroom in particular.

**Further to Maryam's request for me to give a styling tip to create similar bed linen to that above I often purchase just very plain white doona covers and then I ask my embroidery lady to do a little design on the bedlinen in the appropriate colours in order to personalise the bed linen for my clients making it very unique to them. Another idea is to have your initials monogrammed onto the bed linen or lately I have even been having my workroom sew grosgrain ribbon around the edges again in the appropriate colours to the rooms I decorate. Hope these tips are helpful!! I am open to questions always so please don't hesitate in asking me as I would always love to give you my advice!

XOXO

Anna

Pre-Release of "Morocco" by Mokum

A traditional Uzbekistan Suzani above

I was lucky enough to be the first designer in Brisbane to see the new fabric collection by Mokum this morning. "Morocco" is a wonderful collection of woven textiles which has been designed in-house at Mokum in Sydney. You are all very lucky to be seeing this pre-release as I don't believe many other people have seen this new collection which is due for release in Australia mid February. I love the floral design which is called Marrrakesh. It reminds me of a Suzani quilt. I have chosen this colourway above for our display at Black & Spiro. What are your thoughts on this new collection?

Inside Out March/April Issue

Inside the March/April issue of Inside Out magazine my favourite artist, David Bromley has been featured in an eight page spread as per the picture above. Tonight I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this month's much anticipated issue. I don't know if any of you are like me; whenever my magazines arrive in the mail I have an instant rush of adrenalin due to my overwhelming excitement. Everyone at Black & Spiro knows not to disturb me when a new issue of a magazine arrives as my usual ritual involves an immediate flick through and then I put it down and resist it all day until I get home at night when I have the time to be able to sit down, relax and enjoy every single page. Inside Out March/April issue is out now.

Love at First Sight

Jennifer over at Peak of Chic posted this lamp from C. Bell on her site this week and it was love at first site for me when I saw it. I am waiting to hear back to see whether they ship to Australia because I just don't think I can live without it. Thanks Jennifer for showing this beautiful lamp. Go and have a look at Peak of Chic as she always posts such interesting things. I loved her recent lampshade showcase!!

Black Yellow & White Showcase

A Black, Yellow & White colour scheme was chosen by Kelly Wearstler at the Viceroy Hotel in Palm Springs above.

Some Black, Yellow & White glamour above in a bedroom created by Lee Boran Kleinhelter from Pieces in Atlanta as featured in Cottage Living magazine which I found via Stylecourt.

Vintage Black & Yellow Enamel compact from Ebay

Florence Broadhurst cushion on Black & White ticking dining chair at Black & Spiro.

Black and Yellow Romo wallpaper available from Black & Spiro above.

Yellow and white light from Pieces above.

One of the rooms I decorated in Black, Yellow & White at Black & Spiro before Christmas above.

Beautiful piece from Jongeriuslab which I found via Amy at Design DNA

I love this vintage Black, Yellow & White Lattice wallpaper available from Secondhand Rose.

Vintage Wedgewood Jasper Biscuit Barrel from Ebay

A gorgeous Black, Yellow & White room which Courtney at Stylecourt emailed to me a few weeks ago.

A Black, Yellow & White old plate which I found on Ebay

One of my clients called me yesterday to say that she had just purchased a copy of the UK edition of Elle Decoration and on the front cover Black, Yellow & White was showcased. My client's words to me were - "Wow you really were on the mark when you did the Black, Yellow and White display at Black & Spiro before Christmas as I just bought Elle Decoration and it's all over the front cover". I was so thrilled to have received her call. So today I thought I would showcase some Black, Yellow and White images which I love. My favourite thing above is the black and yellow plate. What is your favourite?

The Black & Spiro Girls (Minus Anna)

I thought I would introduce you to my girls at Black & Spiro. From Left - Sally, Avril and Amanda. What a wonderful group of people they are. I love them to bits and they certainly help make Black & Spiro what it is. Thanks Sal, Avril & Amanda for everything!! They are going to hate me for posting this photo - heheehe!!

Emily's Bedroom Scheme

I thought I would post some pictures of a scheme I am currently working on for a bedroom for a 5 year old girl, Emily. I am using a mixture of florals and stripes in pinks, oranges and greens. We are doing a feature wall in the floral Osborne & Little wallpaper, doona cover in the Designers Guild stripe, bed head and bed valance in the plain pink, lamp with lampshade as shown above in the gorgeous Designers Guild green, pink and silver silk and then we are making drapes in orange linen with a band across the bottom in an embroidered floral fabric as per the above photo with a pink and orange braid sewn across the join line. I will post some more pictures as the job starts to take shape.

More Remnant Cushions

Here are some more Black & Spiro remnant fabric cushions. These cushions have been made out of Designers Guild cut velvet, William Yeoward spot cut velvet and a bit of an old beaded Indian cloth I had. Please email me for further queries regarding pricing and shipping etc.

Note Couture

If you are ever looking for a fantastic gift to give a girlfriend have a look at Note Couture's gorgeous range of personalised stationery which includes personalised note pads, note cards, to do lists and lots more. You can select from a huge collection. I love the three designs above in particular. I bought these personalised notepads for my girlfriends at Christmas - they all loved them. We were just out to dinner tonight with one of my friends who I gave one to and she reminded me about them when she said that she sent a note to one of her friends recently using the paper from the note pad I gave her and the friend just roared with laughter. I thought it was just so wonderful that not only my friend got enjoyment out of these wonderful notes but her friend did as well. Oh and the best thing is Note Couture is an Australian company and once you place your order on their site they only take about one to two weeks to arrive.

Kate Spade Ad Campaign Images

I love these images from Kate Spade's Spring 06 Ad Campaign which I wish were available for purchase - wouldn't that be a wonderful idea. I could imagine grouping all of these images together in beautiful mix matched vintage frames in a graphic cluster on a wall in a large walk-in wardrobe or if you're like me and have your own special room for reading, working and watching t.v. in at home they could be fantastic placed again in a cluster on a wall in this sort of an environment - a real treat for a woman who loves fashion and style images.

Which one is your favourite?

**Post note - I previously made an error on this post in that I was under the impression that the images could be purchased from the Kate Spade website. I was incorrect. Apologies for this misleading statement.