Busy, busy, busy

Having a bit of a crazy busy week.  Working far longer hours than I would like and feeling a bit "rushed".  Would like to escape to this room and spend the morning in bed with my book and a cup of tea. Although, I'd probably be better off on a big comfy chair next to the bed so I could admire it rather than messing it up!!

The Zebra

I've been fascinated with Zebra's for a little while now so I did a bit of googling on them and this is what I found....

When the Zebra comes into your life, change is signified in one or more areas of your life and hidden knowledge will be uncovered. Stand strong, develop trust and simply flow with the rhythm of a new creation.

Zebra energy will help you to take the apparently conflicting parts of your personality and weave them into a pattern which is unique, distinctive and beautiful.  As a Zebra, the artist within you can live in harmony with the businessperson, the spiritual explorer with the secular decision-maker, the dreamer with the practical goal-setter, neither overpowering the other, each retaining its place of importance and full expression. The Zebra will teach you to honor the black and white sides of yourself without compromising yourself into a dull gray.

The Zebra will also teach you how to seek out others who are like you, finding comfort and company in groups, while maintaining your own unique identity, your pattern of stripes like a fingerprint, unlike any other. This combination of individuality within community will be a very powerful force in your life.

The Zebra energy is also the energy of physical health, long life and great stamina. Breathe in this vital source of very real physical power. Feel how you are capable of running across the plains for hour after hour, each step filling you with vibrant earth energy, so that the more you exercise, the more energized you become. Then just kick up your heels with joy, for you are the Zebra, vital and alive. How fortunate you are!

Creative Work Spaces

{ my inspiration board at home }

{ image via country living magazine }

{ image via pink wallpaper blog }

{i should know where this from but I don't ~ sorry x}

I love looking at other people's work spaces.  You can tell so much about a person just by looking at what they surround themselves with.  Here's a look into a few that I've found in my online travels. Oh, and I've included my very own inspiration board from my spare room/office at home.  I usually update mine about every 6 months or so but I've had this one a lot longer because I still love looking at it and I can't bear to take any of the pictures down.  I might need to make it bigger instead!

Happy Weekend!

Really looking forward to this weekend.  We're off to the country for some R&R.  

Friday Flowers

Wishing everyone a very happy Friday.  It's been a long week!

Just because...

Love this picture..... Just because. {ps. not sure where it's from. sorry x}

Pretty Please

I just want J Crew to come to Australia. Or at the very least they could ship here so we could buy online. That would be nice although I must say I do like to try before I buy. But if not for me at least they could do it for the kiddies - how CUTE are they!!!  Pretty please J Crew - share the love with us soon. {all images from my ridiculously comprehensive J Crew archive}

Illustration Love xox

Found these cool illustrations at miss capricho. I would love to be able to draw/paint/illustrate but it seems that it's a talent I just don't have!  Guess I'll stick to designing and admiring the talents of others.  Happy Wednesday xox

Country Cottage

{not sure where this is from}

{image via tinyhouseblog.com}

{image via backyard cabins}

{image via the garden room company}

I'm putting together a little portfolio of inspiration for my very own country cabin. I even started scouring the internet over the weekend for blocks of land. Something simple and cosy that we can escape to for the weekend and breath some country air. I will be making this happen.  One day.

Wish List

Has been on my wish list FOREVER!  The Hermes cape cod watch.  Too divine for words.  Better keep saving (and saving, and saving) xox

A little cottage with a story

{the finished cottage. Sandra and her husband}

{a work in progress}

{the interior - a shabby chic paradise}

{the trailer where Sandra and her husband live}

I came across this story during the week and fell in love with the whole idea of it.  This lady and her husband live in a trailer in the catskills (on what looks like a beautiful property). They don't have much - she works 2 jobs to support them because he's had a couple of unlucky business ventures. It was her dream to create a beautiful sanctuary where she could escape to. She did it all herself. It took her many years to save up so she could renovate and furnish this gorgeous little cottage and it only cost her $3,000.  It's amazing.  Read the full article here. 

My kinda camping!

{images via tobifairley.com/blog }

I'm not much of a camping type but when I stumbled across these shots yesterday I wondered if I just might give it a chance. This kind of camping even has a name - "Glamping"  I love it! Now just throw in some guaranteed beautiful weather and an ensuite and I'm there!

Some days dreams end...

{image via pink wallpaper blog}

Tonight I watched Masterchef and the favourite in the competition (Marion) was eliminated.  I shed a little tear for her.  She was the favourite for a reason and clearly cooking is her passion and her dream was to win this competition.  Masterchef has totally sucked me in for the 2nd season.  Not because I'm passionate about cooking (in fact, completely the opposite) but because I'm 100% inspired by the people who want to change their lives and decide to follow their hearts and dreams. I love that people are doing just that, and each time one of them gets eliminated it's totally heart wrenching.  My wish for them is that they find the strength to follow their path and they continue to live their dreams long after they leave the competition. Sometimes it's not easy but I'm sure it's definately worth it.  After all, everything happens for a reason xox

Beautiful Business Cards

Just a few little examples of some absolutely beautiful business cards.  I design lots of business cards for people so I'm constantly looking for inspiration.  I think I've officially found it!! {images via ffffound.com }

Love Paul Costello

Love his work. Love his website. If you've got a spare 5 minutes and you want to look at some cool photography check it out.

3 things...

{ my very happy wedding day }

{escaping on this beautiful boat ~ via elements of style blog }

{relaxing here with a glass of wine in hand }

Having one of those days today.  A few little hurdles (nothing major) and just a general feeling of being behind where I'd like to be. So, in an effort to get back into a happy place I visited a few blogs, flicked through some photo albums and went through some of my 'inspiration' files.  Here are 3 things I found that make me very happy!

The Perfect Studio

{ image taken on holidays in the hamptons }

{ not sure where I got this one. sorry x }

{ image taken on holidays in the hamptons }

{ image from elle decor }

I've been thinking about what the florals and stripes studio or shop would look like.  Here are a few places where I'm sure I would find inspiration.  Can I move in tomorrow?

A little Quote...

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see" Henry David Thoreau


This month's Australian Country Style featured a new shop called 'Simple Things Small Joys'.  I was looking on their blog tonight and came across this quote.  I like it a lot xox  Visit their blog at www.simplethingssmalljoys.blogspot.com

1 Day Late but....

Happy 4th July!!  Just came across this photo today and couldn't resist it.  Again, by one of my fave photographers - Paul Costello.  Very soon, I'm going to post a whole lot of photo's from his portfolio that I have downloaded recently.  Love, love, love xox

Tea + Book + Bed

I think it's time for a cup of tea and off to read my book in bed. Thought I'd share this photo from an old Country Road catalogue (by Prue Ruscoe).  Sweet dreams xx

Christmas in July

{image via williams sonoma home }

We're going to a Christmas in July dinner party tonight so to get in the spirit I thought I'd post one of my favourite Christmas images. By the way, I just checked and there's 174 days left until the "real" Christmas. 

Happy Friday xox

It's a little cold & miserable this morning.  I guess we're "officially" in winter.  I'd like to be escaping to this little house in the country for the weekend. {nor sure where this image is from. sorry x}

A Beautiful Surprise

A couple of weeks ago I ordered a book on Amazon.  I opted for the standard shipping as I was happy to wait.  Much to my delight I recieved my parcel yesterday.  Only a little over a week after I'd ordered it.  I let out such a scream when I found the Amazon box sitting on my desk that the girls in my office weren't sure what was going on.  My delight was soon revealed.
But that's not even the best part of the story.  Not only did my package arrive early but when I opened the box, the book revealed was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen.  Unfortunately the picture above does not do justice to just how beautiful the real cover is.  The stock that it is printed on is just divine and it is debossed, making it feel like pure luxury.  I couldn't stop admiring it all afternoon.  Love, Love, Love!