Wednesday 24 December 2008

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone....


Well, it's that time of year everyone - when families come together and share the joy that is Christmas and holiday time. I'd like to thank you all for being a part of my life over the past nine months. It's been such a pleasure getting to know you all and sharing my loves and thoughts with you - and in turn, a pleasure reading about all of your lives and loves. What a wonderful community this blogging world is - it's lovely to know that at the end of the day we all still need to be connected to each other. And what a beautiful way to connect - over beautiful pictures and thoughtful words.
Keep well - keep happy - and keep smiling these holidays. It's such a beautiful world after all.
See you next year.
Sx


Saturday 20 December 2008

Colourful Gift Giving....


I just love this Christmas gift wrap idea from UK Country Living magazine - wrapping presents in old comics and newspaper and tying with colourful ribbons. So fresh, bright and eco-aware too....


Noel Noel....




I just love a snow white Christmas. I remember when I lived in London, many moons ago, we were graced with one or two white Christmas's and it was just such a lovely way to experience this very special time of year. I also love a snow white table and thought that these pics were just so beautiful. They could be the spring board to my Christmas table I think. I hope you like them too.

Thursday 18 December 2008

A Merry Little Christmas....


Finally, it's sinking in that it's Christmas time in about seven days! It's a funny thing - because it just hasn't felt like Christmas at all this year. Normally, I would have Christmas day organised to within an inch of its life - tree up, presents bought (and wrapped), the Christmas lunch menu decided on, the table setting mapped out.... This year though, I have to keep reminding myself that it's Christmas at all. I'm putting it down to country living - and not being near the shops! In past years, I'd be up at the mall, surrounded by shiny decorations with 'jingle bells' blasting out from loud speakers. I'd be seeing Santa in all the stores, and people busily running around picking out gifts. But up here on the farm, there are none of those usual Christmassy things to keep me on my toes. But I have to say, that I'm liking this way of approaching Christmas. It's kinda relaxed. And very pared back! Somehow I just know that everything will be done in time for Santa to make his way down the chimney. And that all will be gorgeous on the day. And with fingers crossed - we will be graced by good weather and may be able to start the day with a swim at the beach! Now, that sounds like a good Christmas to me...


Friday 12 December 2008

Green Delicacies....

picsource Hotze Eisma

Another Blue Day....


I'm having a lovely day today. You see, I'm ignoring the reality that is Christmas just around the corner and the fact that I'm not organised yet (i.e not a pressie bought and not a card sent!!). Instead, I'm spending my time clicking through my favourite blogs and catching up on magazine reading! The technical phrase is 'researching'! And, in the process have come across another gorgeous blue room - snatched from the Desire To Inspire girls. What is it with blue and me right now? All I know - is that it just looks heavenly, in all of its forms...

Thursday 11 December 2008

More....


Speaking of green and blue, I just love the colour combination used on the cover of the latest issue of Inside Out magazine. It's so fresh.... love, love, love...


An Indigo Day....





You know how I'm just completely in love with blues and greens right now? Well, I'm just head over heels for indigo blue in particular - it's just so alive - so happy - so beautiful! I first fell in love with indigo a few years ago when I visited Shanghai and found the most beautiful store full of nankeen fabrics - traditional tie-dyed fabrics in various indigo and white patterns. Ever since then, every time my eyes rest on this lovely combination, I just swoon (crazy I know - but I'm sure you'll understand!). I just love the blues in these pics by the amazing Lisa Cohen. Hope they move you too!


Wednesday 10 December 2008

Another Sneaky Peek....


It's but a sneaky peek, I know, but here's another little snippet of our old farmhouse renovation - the master bedroom. Of course, I couldn't resist using a little more wallpaper in the house and so the main feature of the bedroom is the lovely Cole and Sons Palm Leaves wallpaper which acts as a very elaborate feature wall come bed head. The room is very simple - just the wallpaper, bed and rattan bedhead (oh, and a little chair which you can't see)  - which is exactly as I like my sleeping space to be. I hope you like it....


Monday 8 December 2008

Floral Heaven....


Oh my goodness, I'm just completely in love with this gorgeous garden nook - what with its colourful hydrangea and lavender blooms and shady trees. I can just imagine myself whiling hours away here reading or just daydreaming the day away. Heaven....

Another Little Cottage....


Now you know how much I love a little timber cottage. This one is located in Camp Cove in Sydney - a sleepy little old fisherman's village where I used to live. This one is like a gingerbread cottage - and looks good enough to eat...


My First Award....


Thank you so much to the lovely Angela Henrie over at www.angelahenrie.blogspot.com for bestowing upon me my first award. It's so lovely to think that I'm liked! Thanks Angela for the honour - you've made my day.... 


Thursday 4 December 2008

Sun Shine Orange.....

Oh orange.... orange.... how I love you so! What a treat to see orange (the colour of the 70s) used in such a contemporary way. Of course, the wonderful Jonathan Adler had to have had a hand in this lovely outdoor setting. Isn't it just so theatrical. Love, Love, Love....

Wednesday 3 December 2008

7 Things...

Well, I've finally succumbed to the challenge! Ness from Marley and Lockyer, Carla from Carla Loves Photography and I think Brooke from Velvet and Linen (sorry if I've missed anyone) have all tagged me to tell you 7 things about myself. First up I need to explain the rules..... Say who tagged you and link to their blog, share 7 things about yourself and challenge 7 other blogs at the end of your post by naming their blog and linking to them. Let them know by leaving a message for them... okay, here I go.... (stop me at any time now - once I get started, well there's just no stopping me!)


1. I was born Shannon Elizabeth Fricke on 6th April 1969 the only child of these two people - Joan and Klaus Fricke. My mother is Australian (of Portugese and Irish heritage) and my father is from Bremen, Germany. Groovy aren't they! This is the only picture that I have of the three of us together back then, as not long afterwards my parents divorced. Sadly, my father was a fractured soul and suffered terribly from anger and alcoholism - you wouldn't know it from this pic - he was such a handsome lad. He died aged 52 - just three months after walking me down the aisle.
I learnt a valuable lesson from watching my father wrestle with his soul - to be grateful for the life that you have been given and to greet every day with grace - and a smile.
From my mother I learnt another lesson - to always live the life that you deserve and that if at times  your dreams don't turn out as you had hoped - pick yourself up, dust yourself off and continue on with your journey in the best way that you know..... 

2. Growing up there was nothing that I loved more than spending my time figure skating at the local ice skating rink. When I wasn't skating, I was dreaming about skating - imagining myself spinning and flying through the air like Tinkerbell. I'd hoped to make it to the Winter Olympics one day - until I realised that even though I loved skating more than anything - I really wasn't very good at it! Oh the reality of it all! Eventually I gave it up - opting to spend my time hanging out at the beach with friends instead. Although every now and then, I'll pop the skates back on and get out on the ice - and pretend, just for a second, that I'm flying...

3. As a pre-teen I was completely obsessed with Brooke Shields and used to keep a scrap booked filled with cuttings from magazines that she appeared. She was such a lovely beauty (still is) and her life just seemed so glamourous to this little girl living a simple life in 1970s/80s Australia. Following her work in magazines such as Vogue, Glamour, Seventeen sparked my interest in visual media and publishing which helped me to decide the direction that I wanted my working life to go. Who would have thought that it all started with Brooke!

4. When I was 19 I moved to London for no particular reason other than it seemed like a good idea at the time. I had $1200 to my name and didn't know what I was getting myself into - ah, the crazy things you do when you're young! After a year in London I moved to Paris, enrolled at the Alliance Francaise and survived by au pairing for an English family. I lived in the 5th (Latin Quarter) and spent my days getting to know the beautiful Paris, it's wonderful streets, parks and cafes. I'm so grateful for my time there - what an incredible rite of passage.

5. After almost three years living in London and Paris I arrived back in Sydney - and within a few months met the love of my life - my husband Michael - and we married 18 months later. We've been married for 15 years now - where has the time gone! Michael is my best friend and my greatest supporter - I feel very fortunate to have someone in my life who is happy to know me warts and all! I love being married - although at times it can be a challenge too! Michael and I have done a lot of travelling together over the years - and this pic was taken in Scotland - one of the most beautiful places I've been.

6. From the time I was a little girl I imagined myself as a mother. I wanted a brood of babies, at least six and was so excited when Michael and I decided the time had come to start a family. I thought that falling pregnant would be a breeze - I mean, how hard could it be right! Three years of trying (a lot!), loads of tears and trips to the doctors seemed to lead nowhere. Just as I had reached the point of wondering if we'd ever be able to have a baby - the universe blessed us with this little angel - our daughter Inez.  A strong and feisty girl with energy and drive - Inez has taught me that with hard work and perseverance - you can make your dreams come true... 

7. I felt so grateful to have had Inez but never imagined - after having waited for three years to fall pregnant- that I would ever be able to have another child. Of course, the world works in mysterious ways - and when Inez was only 6 months old I discovered that I was pregnant again! Nine months later our beautiful Joe was born - a dreamy child - who believes in magic and wishes that the whole world looked like Disneyland.  From Joe I've learnt to trust in life and to sit back and enjoy the ride. And to believe that at the end of the day - the world is unfolding exactly as it should.... 

Well, I hope I didn't bore you all too much. Now, I believe that I'm supposed to elect 7 others to do the same - but I know that you've all been tagged before because I've loved reading the insights into your lives. Is there anyone out there that wants to be tagged? Let me know!

Au revoir!
 

Tuesday 2 December 2008

Creatures....





Now if you're a regular to my blog then you know how much I absolutely adore the work of local Bangalow artist Hilary Herrmann. I remember the first time that I laid eyes on her paintings - it was a couple of years ago and Hilary was just starting to put her work 'out there'. Back then, her paintings were very dark, sometimes deathly looking but with a beautiful, intangible quality. I fell in love with them instantly. These paintings are from her new series 'Creatures' which has just opened at the Cape Gallery up here in Byron Bay. So beautiful, I just had to share a few....