Celebrating Red, White & Blue!

Given that I don't "officially" celebrate the 4th July - something to do with the fact that I'm Australian!, but not forgetting that I feel like I've got American blood running through my veins - particularly when it comes to interior decorating. Thought I'd share a little red, white & blue action I came across recently. So OTT that it's absolutely perfect. I would love to run and jump on that beautiful overstuffed couch. After which I would promptly stand, replump the cushions, sit back down (like a lady) and enjoy a cup of tea.

Weekend....

{ funnest image ever.... and I can't remember where I found it... sorry }

We have had a week of the dreariest weather imaginable here. Rain, rain and more rain.... and it has been heavy rain. Has lead to a little bit of cabin fever, mixed with gratitude for being able to work from home (for the most part) and therefore being able to keep warm and dry and not have to brave the elements.

I was hoping by the weekend that the sun would be shining but we've woken this morning to more grey skies. So, looks like I will continue to keep my low profile for a few more days. How I wish I had a whole season of 'Revenge' to watch.. bummer.

Pink Lady...

{ pink love.... love pink } 

{ nothing says fabulous more than a hot pink ball gown }

 { a pink trench is practically a wardrobe staple... must be on the look out }

 { how divine is a beautiful bunch of roses and hydrangeas soft shades of pink }

{ and last but not least, I love a boy wearing pink..... }

I used to be a blue & white girl. If anyone asked me what my favourite colour was without question I'd say blue (or more specifically, the combo of blue & white). 

Now don't get me wrong, I still loooooove blue and white - it's everywhere in my house. But more and more of late I've become a pink girl. And i love it for EVERYTHING. My clothes, boys clothes, fabrics, furnishings, flowers, drinks (think pink champagne!). And I covet all hues of my (new) favourite colour. Blush pink, musk pink, hot pink... Doesn't matter what the hue, i love you pink!

Project complete!!

 { the final product in it's new home.  very happy }

 { the 'during' shot..... this was pretty fun and surprisingly easy! }

 { the very uninspiring 'before' shot. You can see how the legs looked pretty average }

With hundreds of ideas and projects floating around in my head on any given day I have a little problem sometimes with turning ideas into reality. Well I'm pleased to report that I have actually completed one of my grand ideas (OK, not THAT grand).... and I'm tres tres happy with the result.

I recently bought a cheap little tray table (the tray bit was really good but the legs made it look as cheap as it was!). I then discovered a thing called SUPER GOLD spray paint.  Not just any gold, this stuff shines bright like a diamond! So yesterday whilst the sun was shining I got to work. I also used a gold leaf pen to do the edging of the tray - just to tie it all in.  Wowser! This table looks totes fab (even if I do say so myself) and has left me wanting to paint everything gold!!!!

Feelin' it.....

 { it's all about that chair }

{ i think this woman might be a little cleverer* than me!! } 

*i know that's not a word!

 { that nude.... must. have. one. }

{ loving her art collection a lot of which she finds cheaply at thrift shops or does herself }

{ the little studio... i'm in love }

One little email last night single handedly lifted me out of the doldrums (no mean feat!). And it came via Houzz. Well you've scrolled through the images to get to this so you'll know by now why my heart skipped a beat.  This lovely woman has a little studio out the back (last pic) where she teaches young children how to sew. Sew cute!! And her house is an eclectic mix of furnishings many of which she has made herself. See the heart chair in the first pic (my personal fave), well, she painted those hearts. Tres tres clever. It has definately inspired me to get my craft on this weekend.

Still no words....

I'm in a bit of a blah at the mo. Not feeling particularly inspired, motivated or in a happy place. So, I can't offer too much other than this beautiful picture I came across today. It doesn't need words but I will say this.... I want to be there. Now.... Is that a glass of champagne beside the hammock? Looks like it to me..... WOW, I didn't think that scene could get any better but it just did.

Keeping it Real

{ you know where to find it.... here }

I've heard in the media over the last few weeks that bloggers are being slammed as self absorbed and egotistical. Well, I guess that's probably true of a few people, bloggers or otherwise but personally I love a good blog. For me, the world of blogging gives me the opportunity to see other people's worlds and is always full of inspiration. And the blogs that resonate with me are the ones whose writers are not only stylish and fabulous but also REAL. Case in point is Erin Gates from the Elements of Style Blog. This girl is my favourite, and I just know we'd be friends if we met in real life. Erin is going from strength to strength in her career as an interior designer and you could forgive her for having a huge ego..... but she doesn't. Recently she did a post about how she and her husband are having difficulty falling pregnant. Wow, what a relief that post was and how incredible that she shared it with her readers when I'm sure it would have been so much easier to keep it shiny and glossy and perfect. From a girl going through a similar struggle to Erin it really helped me to read that blog and know that I'm not the only one.

So, from here on in I'm going to add a bit more real into my writing. I hope that doesn't sound self absorbed or self indulgent. I also hope that some day, something that I write might just make someone smile or be a much needed piece of reassurance that despite the pretty pictures and the attempts at perfection, this blogger is just living life, struggles and all, just like everyone else.

Feels like Saturday.

{ I'm intending to drink many cups of tea today! Find image here }

Let me set the scene. It's pouring outside, it's early and I'm sitting on the couch, cup of tea in hand, kitty cat curled up next to me. All the ingredients for a perfect DVD day on a rainy Saturday. Except it's Thursday, which makes it a work day - and a busy one at that. I've got lots to do today. No time to sit around. But I got up pretty early this morning so I've been lucky enough to have that blissful time of the day to myself, when hubby has gone to work and it's still too early for phone's to ring and emails to come through. And because it's raining there's no people out and about in the street and even the pooch is still in bed. I love that early morning calm...... even if this morning has lulled me into the confusion that it was Saturday. It will be soon enough...

No words....

 { i would so love to do this out our back door... i'm keeping it to show hubby, unfortunately don't think he'll love it as much as I do.... }

{ i love this rug and how cute does this pooch look all snuggled up on it? A perfect pooch pic }

 { i had a floral headpiece for my wedding and it was by far my favourite thing..... What a shame there's not more opportunities to wear these }

{ i blogged about this in my last post... maybe i need to frame this as a permanent reminder, such a nice thought  }

No words today, just pretty pictures. Some of my favourites that I've collected of late.... 

The art of quiet...

{ this image makes me feel nice and calm.... will hold it in my mind when things get hectic }

Earlier tonight I was reading one of my 'go to' blogs and this girl was talking about a goal she'd set herself a couple of years ago. She decided to make a list of 101 things she wanted to do, and she gave herself 1001 days to tick them off. Sounds like a plan. It's nice to think occasionally about things you'd like to do in your life and more importantly to capture them and then work through them. 101 things sounds like a lot to me.... not sure I'd want to do that many but I could probably manage 50.

But, all this got me thinking a little bit deeper. I know there's a couple of things about myself I'd really like change. And it's not as simple as writing a list and ticking it off. No, this is going to be a little more difficult. But it's time to commit.

What I want to try and do is be a little quieter, a little more at peace with life. Sounds wishy washy already. But I have a tendency to push things and to be a little aggressive (not sure that's the right word). My school report cards described me as "argumentative". And I can be. Terribly. So it's time to spend a little less time being heard and a little more time listening, being quiet and adopting a far calmer attitude to everything. 

1 year....

{ it's all in the details... my bathroom will be having a makeover and this will so be happening } 

{ fabulous statement curtains.... I have sooooo many curtains to make! } 

{ yep, I'll definately be adding some super cool wallpaper to my laundry room. So much fun }

Today marks one year since we left our city lives behind and moved into our cottage in the country. What a difference a year makes. For me this has been one of the best decisions in my life to date. I love our life in the country and I can honestly say I don't miss living in the city one little bit. Not one. Even things that I thought I may have missed haven't been an issue.

So, the year behind us has been action packed. Lots of things done around the house and garden but that 'to do' list of mine still has a million projects on it. As my husband says, "I don't think we'll ever really be done" (not in an overly enthusiastic tone!). And of course he's right. The (frustrated) Interior Decorator in me is constantly conjuring up new and wonderous ways to make our home just that - our home.

I have got "inspiration" up to my eyeballs so thought I'd share some of the projects that I'm setting my sights on in the coming months. We are in dire need of fabulous curtains in many rooms still, the bathroom is by far the ugliest room in the house - but soooooooo ripe for a makeover and I'm yet to find a way to introduce some 'to die for' wallpaper. Give me time... I'm thinking the laundry room could be the way to go - a la image above.

If you're looking for some inspiration to pretty up your home, feel free to visit my pinterest board 'Inspiration for Fidelis'. I'm happy to share the love.

Baby, it's cold outside...

{ gotta get me some of these slippers but we're out of sync with the seasons here so no can do }

Well, there is officially a chill in the air... I think the last of the warm autumn days are over and we're fast approaching winter. As I watch (ok, sometimes stalk) my American blogging friends I am a little jealous of their spring time joy. Spring is such a lovely, happy season - full of promise and optimism.

Anyhoo, we must embrace winter and all that it brings. It's a time for cosy winter woollens and snuggling up in front of the fire. But, at the moment I'm feeling in need of a little R&R so I'm planning a winter escape to a sunny destination just for a few nights. If only all the places I wanted to visit weren't sooooooo expensive.

Famous Faces

{ mary-kate or ashley? who knows but I love this shot - those girls really know how to work it for the camera }

{ grace kelly - so incredibly elegant, captured so perfectly in this image } 

{ I have so many pictures of kate hudson that i love but this one is my favourite - today }

{ love this picture of audrey, very different to the famous images that are so familiar }

One of the most amazing things about the world wide web is having access to pictures of famous peeps that you otherwise would never get to see - unless you devoured every single magazine on the planet. It's like getting a little glimpse into their lives, sometimes when they're looking amazingly perfect, and other times when it feels more natural and candid. The candid, behind the scenes type images are mostly my favourite but who can't help being drawn into the images that are so perfectly styled, complete with the best photography, lighting and hair and make-up that money can buy. I'm in....

Good times...

{ photo via my instagram - a bit fuzzy but kind of the perfect way to freeze a moment in time }

Spontaneous fun is often the best kind. And it happened at our house last night. My bestie (not GP, the "other" one) came for an impromptu visit yesterday which given we now live in the country means a sleepover (yay!). It's getting pretty freezing at night time in this neck of the woods so we were all snuggled up in our robes, watching The Voice and drinking champagne (the good stuff too which made it even better!). Me, hubby and bestie. It was soooo much fun. We laughed much more than is expected for a Monday night. 
I'm reading a fascinating book at the moment (more on that in another post) but it's really made me appreciate moments of happiness no matter how fleeting. So Monday night, here's to you... x

Photoshoot with the babies

{ above, our cat Arthur, reclining as he does all day every day.... and Gus, a moment of stillness, at last! }

Instagram makes taking photo's all too easy which is great, but it's stopped me from ever getting out my "real camera"..... which is exactly what I did last week. After one of my pinterest sessions I was inspired to take some shots of my beloved babies and so out came the Canon 550D and the next hour was spent trying to get some cool pic's of my pooch and pussy cat. 
The cat was a lot easier than the dog since he was already in position and more than happy to pose. The dog on the other hand was a complete nightmare. Way too excited and not very open to taking direction! Go figure! Anyhoo, after lots (and lots) of shots, these two are my faves. God I love these animals, they are both just soooooooo adorable.

Memories...

{ image found on my latest favourite tumblr site. find it here }

Some people have a desire for travel running through their veins. I'm not one of them. In fact, generally speaking I don't have a burning desire to visit faraway places (except The Hamptons of course). I'm more of a homebody. Happy to potter in my little corner of the world and not go too far out of my comfort zone. Having said that, one of my fondest memories of my life so far is when i lived in London for a year. It was 2004 when I lived there (wow, almost 10 years ago). I followed my boyfriend there having never stepped foot in London previously only to break up with him shortly after my arrival. I was in a foreign city with no friends but fortunately I got a job pretty quickly, made contact with some friends of friends and before I knew it I had the most bustling social life I'd ever experienced and having truly stepped out of my comfort zone I embarked on an adventure that I will never forget. It really was a surprise that something so unplanned and unlike me in so many ways became one of the best things I'd ever done.

I came across this picture today and out of nowhere I was suddenly transported to my life in London. I don't really think about it too much and given that I don't keep in contact with anyone from that time it's like this weird little part of my life that will only ever live on as memories. And what fond memories they are.

Totally torn....

{ the boho in me is in love with this image... those pants are divine, and soooo comfy } 

{ but this look is tres chic, but still in a fun casual way.... totally works for me } 

{ my inner boarding school girl just can't resist this little ensemb! }

{ and then there's this "I just threw it on and look how perfectly casual I look" look. One of my personal faves }

{ I'm pleased to say that this officially proves that trackies are capable of being chic }

I had a funny thought about myself today... I realised when it comes to my style (and I think this applies to both fashion and my home) I am totally torn between a relaxed boho vibe with lots of colour and playfulness but I am also a complete lover of a more refined, sophisticated preppy kind of look. I oscillate between the two - pretty much on a daily basis. It's like being Carrie with a big dose of Charlotte thrown in for good measure. Is it possible for Carrie and Charlotte to merge?  Well, apparently it is, and it's me!!

Something to think about....

"I don't know what good it is to know so much and be smart as whips if it doesn't make you happy" JD Salinger  Franny and Zooey

I was wondering what to blog about today and then I came across this quote whilst perusing the world wide web this morning (found it here). These words strike a chord with me. Sometimes it feels like there's a real price to pay for progress. I'm often torn between wanting to keep things simple and yet my mind wants to complicate and over-analyse certain things. If only we could strip back all the layers and really keep things simple and just be happy. Easy as that.

These are a few of my favourite pins!

{ this lady (CZ Guest), is as good as the Kennedys as far as I'm concerned. Love this image of her. }

{ cutest couple award this week goes to ellen and portia. loving the outfits chicks. }

{ call it random but this picture makes me feel like a glass of ice cold champagne. now. }

{ fiddle dee dee, i love vivien leigh as scarlet o'hara in gone with the wind. }

 { I originally pinned this because I loved the door but actually I think it love everything about it. Don't you just want to step inside? }

Still going with the sound of music theme.... (see post title if you're confused). Today I thought I'd share some of the favourite things I've "pinned" of late. Seems my board on The Kennedys is getting quite a few followers. Turns out I'm not the only one obsessed with the first family. If you're keen, check it out here. 

I've had to carefully curate this selection... when you're a pinterest addict (as I happily admit I am) we could be here all day if I showed you everything I've pinned in the last week so instead I'm sharing my true favourites, totally random.... only took me a couple of hours to wittle these down!!

Mothers know best!

{ if you visit me one day I hope to be showing you a garden that looks just like this! }

I love shopping with my Mum. But she does make me chuckle! When I was a little girl my Mum and I would go clothes shopping and I'd have my eye on all sorts of fabulous outfits, some ridiculously expensive, and my Mum's response would be either "but there's not even a metre of material!" or..... "oh Sarah, I could make that". 


Well, fast forward a few years and we're still shopping together but this time for plants. Last week I set off with Mum to really hit the nurseries for some plants for our new garden. We must have visited about 5 or 6 of them and I was on a mission to purchase. However, any time I'd find something I'd hear this voice saying "No, don't buy that. I can give you some of that from my garden". 

History repeats itself. Turns out the little voice won MOST of the time but sometimes it's nice to have something that's a bit established in the garden rather than a cutting here or a transplanted (and often sick looking) something there. But it also made me realise how much money I was saving having Mum with me. And rest assured, with a Mother like mine I will have a beautiful garden (I'm channeling the one in the picture above). My Mother is super talented and has a bit of a green thumb. With her help, and lots of plants from her garden (I'm currently visiting it on almost a daily basis) I plan to have a cottage garden in our backyard in no time!!