Sourcing for you

This is my latest sourcing project in the quest to create an adult space for parents to retire to at the end of the day or adjourn to at the end of a meal with friends. A place to read, work on a laptop, sip on a wine, converse or escape. Sources include Orson & Blake, Spence & Lyda, Chair Candy (create your own!) and Loom.

Fenton & Fenton's new website

Fenton & Fenton's new website launched today. This is one of my favourite online stores. It is all about colour and texture with these guys. Excuse me while I head off to my other tab just here for a bit of Chrissy shopping..

Funky chair covers @ The Home today

A quick post today. I just had to share today's 'The Home' sale. Check out these funky chair covers - so much fun! Details at: The Home.

Daybed comfort

Our foam daybed mattress finally succumbed to the rigours of childrens' jumping feet and the dog's daytime naps and ended up in chunky pieces.  I toyed with the idea of making my own but that seemed too hard (difficult hard). I wondered whether we could do without the mattress, just cushions but that also seemed hard (sore-backside hard). So last week when I came across these durable beauties (the mattresses not the babies), I grabbed the four I thought just might cover the large seat. Like jigsaw pieces they fit perfectly (just like our darling babies). Being in four pieces, they are much easier to store than one large single. The padding is dense so they don't slip about and as seen above, render the daybed delightfully useful once again. And the source? Aldi - $20 each!

Art and soul

On the hunt for a couple of colourful paintings for the big kids' bedroom, I happened upon these treasures. They are featured in the twin nursery designed by mum of twins Ali on the Chic and Cheap Nursery blog (a fabulous resource for those looking for practical and stylish baby-related decorating tips).  The paintings are by Copenhagen based artist Gitte Brandt. Ali and Gitte co-desinged the paintings and the result is personal; with quotes by Dr.Sueuss chosen by Ali. I do love a productive collaboration! See more of Gitte's charming pieces here.

Rug shopping on Temple & Webster

Today's sale on Temple & Webster includes these versatile indoor/outdoor rugs. I'm drawn to them right now as, with the gorgeous Spring weather drawing us outside, I am always grabbing something to pop the babies on (they are too tiny to lie on the grass just yet). One of these under the pergola would be fabulous. Check out Temple & Webster for their sale prices and free shipping offer!

Log side tables

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Two huge old trees were felled on our block recently and we now have several lovely large logs to play with (along with great mulch and firewood!). Some of my favourite blogs have been featuring log stools and side tables of late. If time permits, I plan to grab some of the left over white paving paint we used on our floors and attempt to make a log table for our living room and perhaps a few stools to sit around the fire pit outside. The images above come from some fab blogs worth checking out: The kid collective, Style Me Green, and Scrap Hacker.

ixxi

If you are considering wallpaper, perhaps take a look at this as another option. Ixxi offer a system whereby you can create your own stunning collage, enlargement or ixxi pixel. It involves attaching individual photos cards (made of high grade synthetic matte paper) to one another using the x's and i's included in the kit supplied. Using their online module you simply upload your favourite image(s) or choose one from their imagebank. They are based in the Netherlands but ship worldwide. The difficult part appears to be choosing your image!

Chunky timber pillars

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I'm impressed! The fellas managed to build the frame for the fort over the weekend. I love that, even in this state, it has brought life to an unused corner of our backyard. I love the old railway sleepers they chose. I love the care and effort they put in. I love that the kids got involved shovelling dirt! I love that it was a glorious spring day yesterday. Their project has inspired me to somehow incorporate old timber pillars into our new living room...

Backyard forts

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This weekend Will's dad is visiting so that they can begin work together on a fort for the kids. Rather than a traditional cubby we have decided to attempt something simple that the children can 'imagine' into anything depending on their current obsession - a boat, space craft, superhero vehicle, princess castle, observation deck, launch pad etc... The observation deck above (from Dude Craft) reminds me of clambering up onto our little semi's rooftop with my housemate in Brunswick, lugging pillows and a mattress one hot Melbourne night - looking up at the orange city-lit sky. Romantic, until we were bitten by enough mosquitos we had to scuttle back inside. I'd love to think our backyard can provide plenty of playful memories for our kids. They may like to embellish their fort with curtains, sails or flags, such as the puppy one above from Imagine Childhood. Part of the plan is to incorporate some landscaping. I love the central tree, dry river bed and rope bridge in the third image above. The kids bought Will an olive tree for father's day last weekend as a starting point. I'm excited for them. I'll post some pics once it is complete. Dad first needs to locate his hammer. My son coolly informed me this morning he had tossed it onto the roof playing 'Avengers'! Good luck boys:)...

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...

Patchy Rugs

I have just come across Patchy Rugs via one of my favourite blogs, The Design Files. They are remastered kilims from Turkey, each one handmade and therefore unique. Many are overdyed and result in stunning colours, guaranteed to inject personality into your space. You can view them at Patchy Rugs in Armadale in Melbourne by appointment or can order online at anytime (perfect for us out-of-towners). Delivery is free within Australia. I'd love to open one of these pretty packages.

Convert that garage

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If you are happy to sacrifice your garage, then endless possibilities open up with regards to 're-purposing' that space. Office, playroom (for kids or grown ups), semi alfresco dining, guest quarters, retreat .... For a quick makeover, begin with thick concrete paint to revive the floor, coat the walls and any exposed beams, add layered tribal rugs to provide warmth, a wall of books and magazines, a comfy chair and side table and you are away. Swap the garage door for french doors and invite the outdoors in. A fast and economical way to add that extra space without the hassle of a home renovation.