Not-so-humble loo

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A toilet - inviting? I would have to say this one is!

The humble tent

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This is where it began for me. My first 'place' to set up and decorate was a tent. A small stripey one with a wire frame someone gave to me when I was four. Naturally, my very own address was established in the back yard - heaven for an independent pre-schooler! Plenty of home-making went on in that tent; all faded and falling apart by the time I'd finished with it. 

Our family camped each summer and I graduated to decorating our tent. It was a heavy old ex-army khaki tent with a large pole in the centre and an annexe. My folks would unload the trailer and leave me to it - I roped off 'rooms' and strung up 'walls' with sheets, set up the 'kitchen', the 'porch' and then got on with those fresh-aired, salty, beach-side holidays content our place for the fortnight was just right.

Bed head shelf

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In a few months we will once again rearrange the rooms of our house to accommodate the changing requirements of growing children. The room to become ours is long and narrow (after adding built in robes) so I am on the look out for an alternative to bedside tables. I first noticed the 'shelf-as-bedhead' idea in Carrie Bradshaw's New York apartment on S&TC (first image above). We tried this in our previous home by using a timber hall table and loved the way it functioned. Perfect for piling up reading material, favourite photos and being quite deep, there was plenty of room left over for those all-important breakfast bowls and cups of tea in the morning! 

The third image above I sourced from the Style Files yesterday. The layered heights and textures add warmth and interest. Welcoming indeed. Yes, I'm obsessed with beds and sleeping at the moment;).

Hanging cradle

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I'm writing this whilst waiting for one of the bubs to settle down for the evening and wondering whether a hanging cradle might do the trick. I know if I were to hop in one myself right now, I'd be gone in 20 seconds. Apart from their functionality, particularly fabulous in a small space, their simplistic beauty is what appeals to me. I have visions of the tropics, babies swinging gently in trees draped in mosquito nets with the sound of the ocean gently lulling them to sleep. Perhaps I just need a holiday:)...

Bonnie and Neil & Tara Badcock: Australian style

It occurred to me recently that I haven't heard a Kookaburra laugh here in Canberra for a long time. I had the pleasure of getting to know a few resident characters growing up on the edge of the Royal National Park in Sydney and took for granted their noisy presence. Bonnie and Neil are currently offering graphic cushions with fun tassels featuring these loveable birds. I love the vibrant colours in their current range as well. 

My kookaburra cushion search also lead me to Tasmanian textile artist and designer, Tara Badcock who captures beautifully the cheeky nature of these birds in her hand embroidered works of art. So many of my favourite hand made finds seem to come from Tassie! Take a look at more from Bonnie and Neil here and Tara Badcock here.

Art for sale

If you happen to be in Canberra this October, be sure to check out Blue Gum Community School's Art Market offering a range of quality art works - all for sale for a flat price of $100! A fund raiser for the school, this is an opportunity to grab a bargain from some of Canberra and the region's most talented artists. Above are examples of works by Yvonne Clough (my mum) and Kirsty Glenwright (my mother in law), both of whom will have paintings for sale at the show. If you miss out and would like to commission a piece of your own, email me and I can put you in touch... For more on the Art Market click here. 

Sharing the love

We had the pleasure of having Kylie Dunlop of Kylie Dunlop Photography over to take some family pics last weekend and to capture our new baby girls - Kylie's specialty. I previously featured Kylie's photos when she photographed the Patonga beach house for us - take a look here. A true professional, Kylie kept us on task (I was typically trying to incorporate interior features into the photos - a bad habit!). I am eagerly awaiting a look at the finished product. We will treasure Kylie's photos as precious memories of an exciting time for our family. Thank you, thank you Kylie xo. Perhaps next visit I'll commission some interior pics...

Pregnant pause

Apologies for the break in transmission on Source.  I took a pregnant pause (literally) and am delighted to say it has resulted in two beautiful baby girls. Juliet and Olive have joined their brother and sister and we are now six! In a two bedroom home about to undergo a renovation; please forgive me if my posts centre on small spaces and children's rooms for a while. I hope to share some images of our reno project as well.

The screen above is from XO - In My Room. An inspiring company run by a sister and three brothers.  I'd love to think my clan will be this collaborative as they grow into adults. Take a look at their handcrafted range here...