Happy Week!!

One of my lovely friends reminded me that I had forgotten to do a 'Happy Weekend' post last week so to make up for it I thought I would do a special little 'Happy Week' post! This week I've decided to stop reading the newspaper, stop reading CNN News on the Internet and stop watching the news on the t.v.!! Instead I am going to focus on the happy things in my life. I hope you will all join me this week in focusing on being HAPPY!! Look at this beautiful image Abbey posted last week of some fresh flowers she arranged in her apartment! This picture makes me happy!! What makes you feel happy??


Image - Abbey Goes Design Scouting

Black & Spiro Today

We've got lots of pretty new things at Black & Spiro. We just had heaps of beautiful new cushions come back from the workroom today and a beautiful old pair of Peacock chairs arrived as well. We also just received a beautiful {hard to find} old work bench and a lovely 1940's round Bentwood table...lots of nice new things to see!! Oh, and the little Pansy painting is a vintage one I picked up when I was in France which is now for sale in the shop.

Loving

via Dan Marty Designs

Via Country Home

These pretty bottles...

Nb. Anthropologie have some bottles like these available here...

Anne's Absolutely Favourite Things

Anne Harwell is a name known throughout Blogland. Anne is a talented artist and her gorgeous work has been featured on blogs worldwide. I absolutely adore Anne's chair series. I purchased a set of her chair note cards from her Etsy shop a while ago and every time I write a note on one of her cards I think I must order some more before I use them all up. I think her work is so fresh and vibrant and inspiring. She is also very gracious and never leaves it too long with out leaving a comment on my blog to stay in touch. Today I'm thrilled to be able to share with you some of Anne's favourite things...

"The arrangement includes a tole container that I re-painted with a lavender color I mixed myself (to get it the shade I wanted). In it is my dwarf braided ficus. In front of that is a cross I bought in Florence, Italy. Then there's a porcelain votive from Anthropologie, a fuschia glass bowl from Spain, a carved box I gold-leafed myself and a Tiffany box from a special gift. Atop that is a sea urchin my sister brought me from the Florida Keys. To the left is some coral and a shell, my pink reading glasses and one of my quote posters that I made to remind me to be thankful for what I have. I love these things for their color and beauty, but also because they remind me of special travel memories, people who are dear to me and what's important in life!"

Anne your favourite things are so pretty...love all the pink and aqua!! Thank you for sharing your special things with us!!

This ends Series 1 of Absolutely Favourite Things. Series 2 will start on Thursday 30th October. Thank you to all of the amazing bloggers who have contributed to series 1. It has been so wonderful to see your favourite things and to hear about why they are so special to you. Thank you also for the wonderful feedback I have received about this series. I can't wait to share the next series with you all!!

More Paul Costello Loveliness

I think I may have saved every single image from photographer Paul Costello's website in my 'I Love Files'. His work is so beautiful, fresh, pretty, colourful and youthful. Last week I posted a few of his photos and I couldn't help sharing some more here today. How dreamy is that beautiful white house in the top image?! Love the cane furniture on the grass! My mum puts her cane furniture out on the grass under the shade of the trees at her house at Straddie in the Summer. It's just so lovely to sit with your bare feet in the cool grass on a hot Summer's day!!

All images - Paul Costello

All The Pretty Flowers...

I've been thoroughly enjoying all the gorgeous pictures Holly from Decor8 has been posting of her new abode in Germany!! In particular I really love all the pretty flower arrangements she's been creating. I think she has been very clever with using small amounts of flowers in narrow neck vases and single buds in small vases. In these tough economic times we all have to pull our heads in and this is a great way of still being able to have some pretty flowers in the house without the huge expense of lots of flowers in large arrangements.

All images & styling - Holly Becker Decor8

Goodbye Felicity

As some of you may have noticed All Things Bright & Beautiful blog written by Felicity has sadly been removed. I recently had the pleasure of receiving a lovely phone call from Felicity letting me know that she decided to stop blogging due to the enormous amount of time it was taking out of her day and the time it was keeping her away from her beautiful family. She said she is already having blog withdrawals and is keeping a keen eye on some of her favourite blogs out there. I asked her if she might consider doing a guest post every now and then here at ABT and she said she'd think about it so {hopefully} all is not lost. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and will keep you informed as to her decision. Felicity we bid you farewell for now and "Happy trails to you until we meet again" - Dale Evans.

Image by Felicity

Pretty

I love this beautiful image styled by Australian Stylist Sibella Court which I found over at Wisteria. I'm particularly taken with that gorgeous vintage {??} {correct me if I'm wrong} wallpaper!! BTW - The Design Files has done a wonderful interview with Sibella Court HERE...

Birthday Surprises

Thank you for all of your lovely Birthday wishes. I had a great day. My parents held a family lunch at their house yesterday which was beautiful. My mum went to lots of trouble as usual. She is an amazing hostess. The pretty flower vases she arranged using flowers from her garden in my favourite colours. I had to show you the amazing cake Sharnel from The Cupcake Company made me as a gift for my birthday...I must say it was very hard cutting up that Chanel bag!! She is such a talent and it wasn't just a pretty cake...it was absolutely delicious. My husband couldn't stop eating it which was quite out of character for him as he isn't a sweets fan at all!!

Happy Bright & Colourful Weekend!

Whether you're staying at home for the weekend or heading off to some far away place I encourage you to enjoy all the pretty colours around you. I love these beautiful bright and cheery photos by Paul Costello. They make me happy!! It's my birthday today and I'm signing off early....see you next week!!

Shannon's Absolutely Favourite Things

Today I'm so excited to show you some of Shannon Fricke's favourite things! Shannon is an Australian Stylist, Interior Decorator and has also written 3 beautiful books; Sense of Style: Space; Sense of Style: Colour; & Sense of Style: Colour & Space. Shannon has also recently started a blog. I love her style and her love of white and colour makes me feel like we may have been sisters in another life!! Let's see what she has to say about her favourite things...

"I've always been fascinated with colour and texture - whether applied to fabric or the fabric of one's life. It is the colour of the things that I collect (whether ornaments or experiences) that keeps me feeling alive and it is the texture of these things that enables me to relate, in a tactile way, to the environment that surrounds me.

This collection of colours and textures represents various aspects of my life and my influences. Selvedge magazine never fails to provide me with a plethora of inspiring ideas and this issue, with Frida Kahlo gracing it's cover, is my favourite so far. I've been in awe of Frida Kahlo's life and paintings for many years now - her work is stirring and layered - and represents my love of Latin cultures and colourful fashion ensembles!

I love to travel, and am always at the ready with my passport in one hand and a Luxe City Guide in the other - which never fails to help me really penetrate the city that I'm in - on a local level. I picked up this Tamar Mogendorff handmade fabric peacock on a recent trip to New York with my daughter Inez - the colour palette has inspired the decoration of my new home and the piece reminds me of a beautiful week spent in this beautiful city with my beautiful daughter.

My children are a constant inspiration for me - they are my guiding lights and keep me grounded. This picture was taken at my son's 2nd birthday - and reminds me of our days spent living at our fisherman's cottage in Sydney (also shown).

The postcard is of the painting - La Chambre Bleue by Suzanne Valadon. I just love the interior and way the colour and patterning work together.

It's always about decorating for me! The collection of fabrics and felt - in calming colour of green and blue (with a dash of yellow) just makes me smile at the end of the day - that's what all it's all about!"

I absolutely adore this collection Shannon - the colour combination is divine - so fresh and vibrant against those painted white floors! I absolutely LOVE it all. Thank you for sharing this with us!!

Nb. Click on image for a closer view.

Absolutely Favourite Things will appear here every Thursday so stay tuned!!

Ballerina Papercuts

I love these gorgeous black and white Ballerina papercuts by Etsy artist Tina Tarnoff...

Vanessa's Italy

I'm loving the beautiful Polaroids Vanessa has been posting from her recent trip to Italy! Click HERE to see more.

Another Gorgeous Outdoor Shower

In addition to the outdoor showers I posted yesterday here's one which my Mum sent me tonight which she recently saved. Thanks for the inspiration Mum!!


Image via Garden Rooms

Outdoor Showers

After a long morning at the beach there's nothing quite like getting back to the house and having a cold shower to wash off all the salt and sand. I have these gorgeous outdoor showers saved in my files as inspiration for when we build our little outdoor shower over at Straddie one day...I'll just continue to dream and to collect more inspiration images for now as this little project certainly isn't on the priority list at the moment!! As my mum always says, good things come to those who wait...so wait I will.

Images 1,3,4 - Cottage Living Magazine

Image 2 - via Elements of Style

Today I Love...

Hello again. How was your weekend? Today I'm in Love with this gorgeous vintage inspired photo by Amy Dickerson.

It's The Weekend...Phew!

Have a fun weekend!

Image - Christine Rudolph

Martha's Absolutely Favourite Things

"Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."- William Morris

Today I'd like to introduce you to Martha B. the writer of one of my favourite blogs, Nibsblog. Before having her son, Martha studied Anthropology, Art & Interior Design. She also worked for two major department stores doing window displays and fashion shows. Martha inspires me on a daily basis with her Vocabulary posts, her Then & Now posts and her Lil'Pix posts. I like her intelligent and witty approach to design and I definitely think she's a traditionalist at heart which I love. Overall, I love reading Martha's viewpoint and the pictures she posts are beautiful!! Let's see and hear all about Martha's favourite things...

"On our fireplace mantle are some of my favorite things:

Brass candle holders were a wedding gift. Look closely- the candles are in the shape of tree branches!

I love books and you'll find them all over our house. A small stack of them with a beach stone (found by my son) on top.

Polaroid of my father-in-law and his sail boat held in a vintage metal florist "frog."

Behind it is a starfish (a gift from my mom) and some old letters from my grandmother.

Antique pottery holds flowers from my garden.

For my 30th birthday my parents gave me the mantle clock- something I had always wanted.
Woven mirror was a sale item at Pottery Barn ten years ago.

Deer antlers (above the mirror) were from an antiques mall in upstate New York. At Christmas time I love hanging ornaments from them!"

Oh, Martha your favourite things are lovely. They are all obviously very special pieces which hold lots of special memories. I'm sure you will treasure them forever. Thank you so much for sharing them with us!!

Absolutely Favourite Things will appear here every Thursday so stay tuned!!

(Photo by Martha B. August 2008)

Flowers & Cake

What a glorious combination - flowers and cake! We had fresh flowers on our wedding cake and I often place fresh flowers on top of cakes I make but this one above takes the cake literally!!

Image - Vogue Living via Creature Comforts

New Fabric Obsession

I love this new fabric we have just received sampling for at Black & Spiro. It is an embroidered linen. I'm tying to find a little something to use it on...I'm thinking a little stool would be pretty. It actually reminds me of a very old piece of embroidery...gosh it's so beautiful and even more so in real life!! Email me for enquiries.