29.11.12

Latest Love...


 Am so loving Kaftans right now....
I've amassed a small collection of these, they're so forgiving of lumps and bumps, cool and comfortable to wear and easy to throw on either as a dress or top.
My fave brands are Camilla Beach House, Camilla and Phyllis Boho

Are you a Kaftan wearer? Recommend any brands?

Tomorrow is the last day to enter my
 GIVEAWAY.
All the info can be found HERE!
x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

26.11.12

Aunty Mary

I've had a bit of a difficult week.
With my extended family, I have said my goodbyes to my Aunt Mary. She has been a big part of my life, and my children's lives for close to two decades. Of course she's been present longer than that; all my 49 years, but as an adult, my relationship with her has been the most tangible. 
She moved to the Central Coast from Sydney not long after I did. I taught in the same parish she settled, and she willingly became Aunty Mary to those primary school children, listening to them read each week, without fail. She delighted in attending Mass and hearing the 'Hello! Aunty Mary!' acknowledgements each Sunday from the children.  I took her to medical appointments, she joined us each Christmas day and we celebrated her birthday with her. She liked keeping up with technology and we tried to assist her with the concept of a mobile phone, updating to plasma television, and hard-wired smoke detectors.
Everything I'm writing here doesn't seem to express what I'm feeling at her loss. It's much harder than expected. My nephew achieved the impossible; delivering a beautiful and confident eulogy at her service. J managed to contribute a simple prayer. I was very proud of them both. Thankfully my girls were able to attend before their flight to Japan. It was all very sudden, rushed and emotional.


Christmas has felt a bit flat here before this event but with a ten year old who's still a 'true believer', Santa can not forget us. Never thought I'd need to practice my Ho! Ho! Ho!

Till we meet again, Aunty Mary.

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

25.11.12

One month till Christmas....Eeeeek!



Don't forget to get your entry in for my first GIVEAWAY
All the info can be found HERE.


x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

24.11.12

love


I've blogged about my desire to own a neon sign before, HERE
Due to price, it is still a 'wish list' item but in the meantime I can make do with this cute love sign that Pillowtalk has for $39.95.

Love it!

Don't forget to get your entry in for my first GIVEAWAY
All the info can be found HERE.

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

18.11.12

POST # 301 : A GIVEAWAY!


So.... for my 301st post, I thought I'd offer a celebratory gift!

  I am giving away one 'Bad Woman' scented candle by Australian Designer, Charlie Brown.
It is presented in a hand-decorated porcelain canister that you will want to keep, long after the candle has burnt out..... the Vanilla and Orange scent is divine.
To enter, all you need to do is be a follower and leave a comment!

To all my very loyal readers who regularly comment, (you know who you are) I wish to THANK YOU all so very much.
For additional entries, share my giveaway by blogging about it or offering a link on your twitter or facebook pages. Following me on Pinterest will gain you another entry too!
 If you choose to enter more than once, please leave a separate comment for each entry and include the link to where you've mentioned this post.
Entries will close on Friday, 30th of November.
Good luck!!!

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

17.11.12

MY 300th POST! (a pictorial summary)




300 posts and a single image to summarise each one.
4.10.10 -  17.11.12


x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

16.11.12

Bits & Bobs of my week



I've had a bit of a lazy week....feeling a bit 'blue', still not Ho Ho Ho'ing!
 My week, clockwise from top left to centre went like this:

Purchased some beautiful Euro shams from Bed Bath 'n Table on sale for $22 each.
Still contemplating dining room pendant lights even though I threw in the towel and told David we'd have 3 x downlights because it was all too hard.
Lots of online Christmas shopping arriving...I look like the Post Office!
S & M (the nest leavers) love my pod chair so I've ordered them one from Santa  ;-)
Thought this tree in Myer looked happy. Still not inspired enough to do mine though.
Another skull; this time faux. I think I may be skull shopped out!
Nothing nicer than a surprise screen message popping up! Love you too, J!
Trying to get some chair pads for the outdoor setting we're doing up for the nest leavers. I'll measure before I buy next time! This one's way too big!
Spent today with a curtain consultant. Another full post for sure!
Thought these Suzani-style baubles were cute. They're Otomi from The Land of Nod.
Attended a baby shower too...

S turned 23 on Wednesday (still seems like yesterday) and it's the first time I've not seen her on her birthday. Felt very odd. Looking forward to a Sunday belated celebration!
She had a beautiful lunch with Nanna & Grandad I'm told. 
Other than a day doing 'Tuck-shop', that was my week. 
What have you been doing?

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

14.11.12

Feel'n Grinchy.....


The time to put the Christmas tree up is looming closer. *sigh*
I have two trees, one black, the other green. The children detested the black tree (above left) in 2010 so I did the green tree (above right and middle) last year.
I'm just not feeling very Christmassy yet and erecting the tree is feeling like an impending boring chore. I'd rather have a tooth pulled. Very unlike me. 
If I didn't have J, I might not even bother!
The Grinch must have been here.



So, Black or Green will remain undecided till I find some Christmas spirit.
In the mean time it's all "Baa Humbug!"

x KL

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13.11.12

旅行計画:大阪


Travel Plans: Osaka, Japan!


My eldest daughter, S and her boyfriend M (the nest leavers) have been busy planning for the last four months, another trip to Japan. This will be S' third trip to the country and M's second. M's best mate Quinn is going with them too and .....as of two days ago, so is my second daughter, A!
 They leave on November 22 - nothing like a last minute decision! Yikes!
Organising a passport for A (this is her first overseas trip) was the least of our problems.
I'm madly running round trying to purchase a merino spencer out-of-season and trying to get her travel insurance sorted. Adding one extra to the already booked hotels has been the biggest nightmare, with A at this point staying in a different hotel, some distance away, for the first two days in Osaka. Definitely NOT ideal and hopefully this can be resolved soon.

It will be the most amazing experience for my girls; an incredible opportunity to create shared lifelong memories. I am so happy to see them choosing to travel, their organisational and negotiating skills, independence and confidence all blow me away!
Am so very proud of them both!


x KL

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12.11.12

Detailing: Main Bedroom



So the main bedroom plan (RHS) has changed a wee bit from those submitted to Council (LHS).
This was done primarily to create a small linen cupboard upstairs as the main one will be on the lower level. The bedroom door shifted left and outside, the powder room was re-arranged with it's doorway away from the hall end. This created a focal point for, you guessed it...art.
I then utilised the odd shaped entry to the bedroom for a walk-in shoe and handbag cupboard!
(with a cavity sliding door)
Bliss! Mind you, by the time this is usable I won't be able to walk in any of my heels; a cupboard for old-person's orthopedics and bowls bag doesn't sound very swish though does it?
I deleted the Eastern window because I felt there was enough glass elsewhere but added a wee highlight to the left of the robe for ventilation and natural light. And the doors to the en suite were widened too. The plan and reasoning for that, posted HERE.

My inspiration for the decor of the main bedroom are found in the following images:


A pretty eclectic mix!
 I'm toying with the idea of painting the wardrobe unit black or wallpapering it in a black print, keeping the rest of the room white or pale grey as a contrast. I don't intend to use any turquoise (I have a obsession with white bedlinen!) but liked the details of that picture if swapped out for Taupe. Just LOVE the mirror furniture. *Sigh*
I'll might try to put a Mood board together for this room I think.

On the wardrobe side of things, I'm very undecided.


I had first thought to do a joinery robe like the left top quadrant which might be mirrored like those on the top right. Now, due to budget I'm now considering an open walk-in arrangement like the images on the bottom and adding a door to the end of the 'room'.
We had this in the last house (pics below) and it worked well, though we didn't have doors.


And as much as I like the idea of a dressing table within the robe, there's plenty of room in the bedroom for that and I can maximise clothes storage without it.

Any suggestions / thoughts / responses?


x KL

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11.11.12

On the eleventh hour...


 

x KL

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7.11.12

Detailing: Dining Room


 Decisions are being made thick and fast around here. David and I have agreed on a plan of action for the upstairs plastering and it's proving to be more complicated than I thought!
He worked like a Trojan last weekend to prep for the plastering....apparently some walls needed to be thickened because of steel bolts in the frame and such. *Yawn*  (He he)
And there's still allot to do....

And then he asked me what sort of lighting I wanted over the dinning table.

Actually - the SPECIFIC light so he could block out the joists appropriately.
W.T F?
Yes, there will be lighting. DUH!  
'Maybe a pendant' doesn't cut it apparently....Eeeek!
Detailing urgently required...so....

Where we're at and the view from the dining area is seen in the pictures above. The kitchen is on the LHS of the picture (above left) and you can just see  the lowered ceiling I added over the proposed island to delineate the space. A milk glass louvre window and door were also added to the plan. The door allowing access to a return veranda which will house a BBQ for upstairs convenience; the glass chosen to obscure the neighbour's roof but not the natural light.


I'm not going to add a curtain or blind 'slot' to this room (like HERE) because I'm not sure any window coverings will be necessary and, if they prove to be required, I can add them so they're flush with the ceiling.
I'm intending on painting the door / louvre window wall black (Dulux 'Domino' as used HERE) and might have some Roman Blinds made in a similar colour for aesthetics during the evening. ?

So, now - the lighting choices!
Currently the space is wired for 3 x down lights over the table with a wall washer to spot-light art or a mirror on the end wall between the door and louvre window.

I'm thinking a BIG pendant over the table with separately controlled down lights either side - all on dimmers. I can't have pendants over the island as I've lowered the ceiling there to do some swishy 'glow' lighting that looks good in my head. (Um... Time will tell!)

Inspiration Piccies:


I like the idea of a chandie but David is dead-set against it. I first suggested one for the lounge room but lost the argument there too! I've suggested the Chandie-hidden-in-a see-through-drum scenario. Pfttttt! A simple drum was like-wise eliminated (this time by me). The mirror balls were a contention until we looked at the $ sign and then 3 x down lights were David's conclusion. !!!! Humph. Compromise? This:



Marcel Wanders Sky Garden (900 mm diameter)
Black and White.
Old and new
Contemporary and traditional
Authentic or replica
 Mega dollars or budget friendly!

I know there are others who are currently facing this same lighting dilemma. (Hi, Giulia!)
All suggestions and feedback welcome, as always!
x KL 
 
Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

6.11.12

Bits & Bobs


This is what I've been up to for the last few days!
From Left to Right, Top to bottom:

1. Daughter # 2, A has a new bedhead in charcoal linen 
2 & 3. Having serious upstairs flooring discussions; Chevron Parquetry back on the agenda!
4. Bedside dreaming for J's room
5 & 16. Dining room lighting; the top contender
6 & 7. Lunch at Terrigal today
8. Thank you B! My pedi looks summer ready!
9. $100 MILLION! O.M.G!
10 & 12. Catching up on the trends with these!
11. My latest Bed linen. 13. Still loving Peter's of Kensington; Melamine mugs for $3
14. Loving Caftans. A new Camilla fave!
15. Updated my specs. Sad but true.

x KL

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3.11.12

Sculpture By The Sea 2012

Have you attended the Sculpture By The Sea Exhibition for 2012?

My younger sister was involved as an exhibitor this year. Her installation was inspired by the zen practice of sand raking. The public were invited to make their mark across Tamarama Beach until the inevitable cycle of nature washed it away.


The raking created a transitory counterpoint to the adjacent
sculptural works installed on Tamarama Beach with multiple views of the work from above and at ground level.

Today the exhibition concludes so get your skates on if you're nearby and haven't had a peep yet!

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

Blog opinions required!

I've been playing round with my little blog; mostly with colours and the title banner.

I've made the change to a white background but now I think I prefer the old black colour.
As a reader, which do you prefer?

In keeping the new white I'll have to amend previous posts as I used allot of white font which has disappeared with the white background.

The Black that I used in the past was a point of difference but was it more difficult to read?
I quite like images against a black background.

BLACK or WHITE?

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

1.11.12

The Plans

The Council Plans:


Main Bedroom Ensuite:


Main Bedroom:




Kitchen:


Good looking security

I spotted this fantastic security screen door last night whilst doing a bit of an Internet search.


The style of my front door excludes any form of security screening and next house, this oversight will be addressed. It's a common problem in many contemporary house designs.
The security screen door above is from the clever team at Entanglements who are better known for their fabulous metal wall art. I love this application of their work. They can be custom sized and can include various types of mesh depending security / screening needs.
It's not often that something new and different comes along!

What do you think? Do you screen your front door?

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!