Three Little Birds

It has been so long since I have blogged. Since my last post we have moved our of our house and have been house sitting on the other side of town. I am missing living right near the beach and am swiftly tiring of living out of a suitcase.
My intention is to start writing much more on this blog. I think the tone of it will change a little as time goes on...maybe becoming a little less design generic and a little more personal. After all I am 91/2 weeks away from becoming a mom and I know that I will want to share my experiences and feelings more. Whether or not anyone reads what I write, it is quite a therapeutic for me and a nice diary of our lives.
Of course I have been shopping for beautiful things for my little baby boy and without going crazy with spending have found some real treasures.
One of my favourite finds which I have been listening to nonstop all week is this c.d by Elizabeth Mitchell
It is full of gorgeous children songs..and I don't mean the annoying kind. I have always loved the song Three Little Birds by Bob Marley and I think it's my favourite lullaby for baby. So happy and beautiful...I find myself singing it all the time already. The version on this album is divine.

So, I'm back. My need for more sleep will not effect my ability to write more.
P.S. I heart edame and chocolate milk shakes. Craving in a bad way.

Long Overdue Post

I have been more than slack when it comes to blogging lately. I put it down to the little fella in my belly who is currently taking all of my focus. So, I thought today I would post a good bundle of info and cool shizzle that I have found recently. First of all, I have to tell you about a blog that is new to me that I am loving. It's called hostess with the mostess and the website is www.hostessblog.com . She posts great ideas for parties, invites, gifts, food and drink. The archives are chock full of themes and decorating ideas to make any event an affair to remember! So much fun to look at and to plot and plan...I just wish I had a bridal shower or birthday to organize.

I found the photos above on decor8

It's really only a dream that I could have a white and neutral pallete to work with in my home. I am pretty sure the thunder wouldn't be down with it as he is slightly obsessed with colour. I am completely taken with these images and think they inspire a lot of ideas. The contrast with the colorful objects makes for such a lovely, bright and clean feel. My love of old plates has been catered to with the large plate display cabinet. Gorgeous! I can just imagine waking up, throwing on a plush white robe and sipping a cup of joe on a sunday morning in that space. Dreamy.

One piece love affair

I am about as far away from wearing a swimsuit than I have ever been in my life but for some reason I keep looking at them online. Weird, I know and slightly torturous but hey... I am an odd duck sometimes.

I am drooling, literally drooling over these pieces!!!! I mentioned months back my love of one pieces and lordy lord who new juicy couture would pull through like this for me. It's like they picked my brains for the perfect shape and made it a reality. If you are lucky enough to be able to buy, enjoy and look good in a swimsuit right now go to Nordstroms and get one of these. I will be totally jealous, especially if you match it with some of those adorable Nanette Lepore wedges and big shades. SO STYLEE! I heart every bit of it!

Shoe Obsession

Jimmy Choo
Nannette Lepore

Prada

Prada

I have been fantasy shopping again and this time it was on Bluefly

Even though I am not going to see Sex in the City till next week I can sense the shopping urge it is going to install in me. Shoes are the best. The great thing for me at the moment is no matter how tight all my clothes are or how crappy I feel, my shoes always look consistently good. I would love to invest in a few new precious gems but instead i will continue to look online and drool over fine specimens such as these. Gorgeous indeed. 

Old glorious plates

Slack is the word I would use to describe  the recent lack of blogging. It feels like the days and weeks are slipping through my fingers at the moment. I am constantly collecting photos and ideas and now have a plethora of postings that are ready to rumble.

Don't be surprised if some of them include things that I can't indulge in while preggers. Perhaps I can live vicariously through this page and pretend to be colouring my hair while sipping in a glass of vino and eating blue cheese. 5 months and counting!

Above are some gorgeous pictures of a very simple kitchen corner that has been delightfully jazzed up with old vintage plates. I myself often find great random plates and wonder if I bought them what I could do to give them a place in my home. I think this is an adorable display that would easily brighten and otherwise plain wall space. It would be a fun project to start and an adventure to search for all the special pieces that will work with each other in harmony. Lovely Jubbly.

Box of Treasures

If your jewelry is anything like mine, it is hard to organize. My earrings currently live on an old ring stand that I found at a second hand store and my necklaces adorn the wall in a bundle of madness. They actually look OK but some pieces which are more precious deserve more of a special place than mixed with the cheap and cheerful. This jewelry box idea is from Martha and it was actually categorised as a mothers day gift but i think it would be a sweet and fun gift for a friend or yourself for that matter! Here is the link for directions to make this little treasure chest. I like the idea of putting pieces from your honeybun in the heart and adding little family sentimentals and silk flowers to the mix. It would be a delight to look into everyday! Very sweet indeed!

Now I am off to make polenta cakes to go with dindin. Yum.

B is for Baby

Well, it's official...I am with child. I am just at the 14 week benchmark and waiting for the sickness to leave and the nesting to arrive. Sorry for my lack of posting. It has been due to weeks of sitting on my sofa feeling like I was either going to churn or pass out at the slightest movement. All is well though, I ate myself through it. Now I seem to have more good days than bad so I can't complain.
Now, don't worry, baby stuff won't start dominating my blog! I vow not to be of those people that can only talk about their baby and baby stuff. Saying that though I am searching for good ideas so I may feature bits and pieces as I find them.
The book shelve above is something I am definitely going to do in my little ones nursery when the time comes. I think its a genius idea to use a plate rake for a book shelf and putting it nearer to the ground makes it easily accessible for the little monkey to grab their favourite read and settle in a bean bag for a literary adventure. Also, as I am now learning, safety is key and having it attached to the wall takes one irrational motherly fear out of the equation.
How exciting to have another room to fantasise about! Yeah for bubs!

Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! I miss the days when I was young when the 5th of May brought lots of colourful crepe paper projects and good food. I would totally kill for a cheese enchilada right now or a great mole. Hell, I would kill for a taco bell burrito with mexi fries and a coke. That's how much I miss that shizzle. Of course no Mexican holiday can go by without a classic margarita or two or three. Here is a link to a recipe to the perfect margarita from Martha. Or if you a feeling a little fancy here is another fun option to get liquored up on tonight. It's a watermelon and basil margarita which I think sounds delish! 

Tomorrow is a scary day. I am taking my precious laptop to the mac technician for a fixer upper. This brings endless anxiety to me because like mechanics and dentists, I don't trust computer technicians and fear they will totally rip me off. I know, I know, you receive back in life what you project blah de blah so I will try and go in there with a positive outlook. And to be honest it needs to be done...Sam gave me the gift of a new cute green ipod yesterday and my silly laptop is so confused right now that he can't take it. I hope it's just an outpatient visit and he doesn't need to be admitted overnight. We shall see.

Anyhoo...ta ta for now. x

Bulletin collage

It seems like I am always posting mid week. I don't know why this has come to be but whatever..I'm a creature of habit. I am also a creature of organization as I am sure you realise this by now. I love things to have a place and for them to return to their allocated spot after they have been used. Poor Sam still struggles with my ocd ways. I am the type of girl who can't sleep if the wardrobe door is slightly ajar or if there are clothes on the floor. The notice boards above available from littleprettystudio at etsy. I think they are adorable and all the different sizes on the wall above your desk would be so cheerful, especially if you lacked a window or natural light nearby. If you are craft inclined it could be a good little project to do yourself with some gorgeous fabric. What a cute place to keep all my to do lists and reminders and to facilitate all my obsessive compulsive desires. I love it!

Shrink wrapped perfection!

Someone needs to buy me this fridge! It's the most cheerful kitchen appliance I have ever seen. How adorable would this look in a clean, bright but not too fussy kitchen. It would totally inject some cheeky personality into a sometimes boring space. It is obviously by smeg which is a UK company. I believe this exact model has been shrink wrapped in this pattern as only basic colours and a union jack are available through their website. What a great idea though...it may not have the fancy pants features of some of the crazy products available these days but I would much rather have this in my space. Saying that, I hope there is a built in ice maker inside, god I love those!!!!

Warm and fuzzy thoughts

As you know, I am already dreaming of warm summer nights. How I plan to survive the perils of a long winter back in Park City again I don't know. So instead of thinking about it too much I dream of a more pleasant time when the temperature is perfect and the crickets are out in chirping force.

The picture above is an old image form a Martha magazine. I love everything about it from the gorgeous lilac tree, to the hanging lanterns and the old bentwood chairs. I recreated the lantern idea for our engagement party a few years back ( although our garden is no where near as lovely so it didn't quite have the same effect). Instead of jars I rummaged around second hand stores and bought old glass light shades which i would turn upside down and hang with wires. It is really a beautiful look and a mix of shapes and sizes makes it magical. I plan on recreated this one day again for a special birthday or holiday. How romantic and warm.

So those of you coming into spring get inspired for alfresco dining! Isn't it just the best!? There is something so great about sitting outside to eat and enjoy great wine and great food in great company!

Wrap it up

Last week ended up being very sluggish and the huge downpour of rain at the moment outside is not helping my energy levels this week either. Day light savings has ended now and although the summer was extra long and wonderful...the onset of winter has been quick and brutal. We have gone from having a fan on in our room every night to a heater in a week. My outdoor activities are highly weather sensitive. If it is too cold or windy I don't like walking and the same if it is too hot and muggy. So, I have been hunkered down in the flat watching tv and sporadically doing pilates here and there throughout the day. So, I think I have to declare today baking day. Not sure whats on the menu yet but I am thinking of cranking up the oldies radio station, donning my apron and kneading some dough.

Above is some gorgeous wrapping paper by Erin Ruth. I just love beautiful wrapping....especially if you receive a gift a week or two ahead of your birthday or holiday and it sits on your table looking gorgeous and taunting you with it's cuteness! The paper and note cards on this site are delicious and very reasonably priced. It's always a good idea to have a little stock of delightful paper ready for action because you know sometimes these special gifting occasions sneak up on you!

A delightful place to rest

Since I have declared April craft month I have been scouting out some cool ideas to make your home or garden more cheerful. Craft to me doesn't necessarily need to involve sewing, glue or glitter. Anything that I can create and do myself is crafty to moi. I love being able to create something sweet and functional using things around you. Above is an image that embodies that. What a great little spot to read a book or drink iced tea. Isn't it just lovely how the curtain is suspended from a wooden branch tied to the tree? I can see myself relaxing for hours with my little Olive at my feet chewing a bone. This would also be a lovely cool and sheltered spot to place a baby to rest while you enjoy some sunshine outside. This one is on my 'to do' list for next summer indeed!

It's my Mom's birthday today. Happy happy to her! So I thought I would share something that I had sent to her as part of her pressie. It's ok, I'm in the clear, she has already opened it.

This adorable notebook is from a company called Compendium Incorporated. I love that it is pale yellow ( I told you yellow has taken the lead over orange for me) and has an elastic close but most importantly the saying on it is inspiring and cheerful! She seems to like it so that makes me very happy. I am a good present buyer, if I do say so myself.

Since I currently have a wee bit of time on my hands I think I may go buy some fabric, borrow a sewing machine and fashion a notebook and pen folder like in the photo above. Why not get crafty! Maybe I will make April craft month...hmm yes, I think so. Oooh exciting. I heart a themed month.

Give a little bit

I am currently reading this book, Giving by Bill Clinton. I felt I needed to be a little inspired as I have long wanted to do some charity or community based work and haven't known where to start. This book is amazing. Not only are there amazing stories about huge Non profits impacting people all over the world but there are also inspiring stories of everyday people doing wonderful things. If you are looking for ideas I can't recommend this book enough!

One of my favourite mentions is of an organization I have been following for about 6 months. It's called Kiva  and it allows anyone from around the world to help give loans to people in countries where loans are impossible to get. Whether it be for a banana stall or a corner shop you can help someone get a start on making a better life for themselves and their families. The crazy thing about this NPO too is that 97% of the loans get paid back and when they do you can either take your money back or use it to help someone else. You can give anything from $25+ and the recipients write updates to keep you posted on how they are doing!

I have 100% been inspired to contribute in some way and I think I will have made my decision by the end of the book.

Giving is good.

Engrave your Tech

 How cool does this look! My laptop deserves to look good too. I will admit I spend an un-natural amount of time typing away and reading things online and my computer is the most valuable possession in my home by far. It houses all my music and photos, keeps track of all my favourite sites, gives me a rolling up to date weather report but most importantly allows me to talk face to face with my family spread all around the globe. I honestly don't know how people could stand living away from their family in the old days when calling long distance was super expensive and letters were the only way of writing. My trusty laptop is a saviour to me and I think she ( I just decided it was a she) deserves a little makeover too. 

The company that can pimp your laptop is called engrave your tech and they can personalise everything from your ipod to notebooks to laptops. Very cool indeed.

So the weekend is again upon us. The temperature is slowly dipping and I think the end of summer has most definitely arrived. I, of course, am in denial. Not that I don't enjoy the cooler days, on the contrary, Autumn is actually my favourite season. The clothes are way cuter and the evenings are beautiful, but the rainy grey winter does not appeal at all. So I have prepared a couple of travel brochures for Sam and I to eyeball when he gets home from work. I am thinking Samoa in June! Genius if I do say so myself!

Till next time

Sx

I realised a clothing post is long overdue so I took to my trusty laptop for some inspiration and ultimate frustration for things I cannot have. Yes, I will take a moment once again to complain about the lack of shopping and general cool shizzle in NZ. I know I live in a beautiful, safe and clean place but seriously...a girl needs retail therapy. On my return to the land of consumerism and material things I intend to embrace the madness and go nuts! Watch out y'all...in the words of posh spice, it's gonna be major!

So here are a few bit I came across today. The first is a gorgeous jacket by Nanette Lepore which is available at Nordstroms. I love many of Nanette Lepore's collection and have for a long time now...and saying that, I choose not to look at the prices. It's an old habit from my days working at Chloe Lane when I knew if I thought about how much I was spending on my clothes I would shudder with guilt and glutton. Oh how I miss those days...good times.

The dress is a good balance. It is from Urban Outfitters and has a much more palatable price. I am still loving bows...I thought I would have grown out of that trend by now but no, it's still cool in my book.

The swimsuit or for you kiwi's out there, togs, are also Urban Outfitters. It's totally not the season here to be looking at swim attire but a late honeymoon is in the works and I am digging the one pieces these days. This looks so cute and vintage to me!

And the last tunic is completely a 70's throw back by Marc Jacobs and I found it at Saks. Maybe not the easiest to wear but I love it. Hot hot hot.

So there is today's wish list. I will file it with the rest of them.

Till tomorrow....turrah x

Keep calm and carry on

I can't believe it has been a week since my last post. Where has the time gone!? We had a visitor staying with us which I mainly blame for my lack of computer time. Sam and I did our very best to give him a kiwi experience that he will fondly remember. I think we succeeded but in the meantime we wore ourselves out to the point that the last few nights have been spent staring at the boob tube and eating instant meals.
I have yet again found another print that I want to buy for our home which we one day will own. Of course I found this at etsy at a shop called sfgirlbybay. These reproductions of the vintage print come in a handful of colours and are easily framed. Having the message "keep calm and carry on" can only be beneficial to me. Keeping calm in order to carry on is often a real challenge and this poster will be perfect for when Sam is not around to tell me.
Yet again..I heart etsy. Almost as much as chocolate pudding.

We are on the cusp of Easter and oh what a yummy holiday it is! I have just been to the store to stock up on hot cross buns and chocolate for my hunnybun. The sun is still shining on us so the weekend looks to be filled with fishing, beach, food and frolicking.

I know Easter isn't directly related to cupcakes but I saw this one on Martha's website today and thought it was the cutest thing ever! You can click here to get the recipe. There has been a lot of cupcake chat over the last few months. Face it, everybody loves them and they are pretty much guilt free because if their tinsy tiny size. I made some just the other week to take to a dinner party that were inspired by the famous L.A. pioneers of cupcakes, Sprinkles. You can now buy sprinkle cupcake kits at William Sonoma. They make you look like a baking genius with practically no effort at all.

On that note I hope everyone has a good good friday. I will be sure to take a picture and post it if I happen to catch and impressive snapper tomorrow!

mugs need hugs

Now these may seem a little silly to some...not me! I want to give the person who made these a big bear hug and beg them to make me one in every colour. Mugs need hugs too! And these cosy little covers are taking care of it. These are available from a website called H is for Home. It's a great site that sells vintage finds and shows you how they can work in your home. I have long been pondering a similar venture. I love second hand shopping and believe you can get way cooler old stuff than half of the new crap around. Especially in New Zealand I have struggled to be inspired in retail stores. Shopping isn't on the consumers side here. 

As I get older I think my taste is closer to becoming described as "quirky". That's cool...until I start collecting ceramic cats and wearing my bra on the outside of my clothes. Then somebody, I beg you, please stop me.

It's Saturday and for some reason everything in this town feels sleepy. There is more of a Sunday vibe going on. I am quite happy about it, happy to be lazy and shuffle around all day. We haven't been completely boring, we did attend a ethnic food festival earlier on. Sam was like a kid in a candy store. I could see him salivating at every stall we walked by and he carefully calculated every bit of food he tried. I don't think I have ever met anyone who is so turned on by food...he loves it! I myself was a little adventurous for once and tried some Nepalese cuisine which was very good indeed. Yay for me stepping outside of my salad and potato box.

I am trying to appreciate the sunny weather while we still have it. It won't be long till we are huddled around the space heater in our little flat watching mindless TV every night. Till then I vow to visit the beach as much as I can and get a little vitamin d while I'm at it.

The photo of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys is just lovely. It sums up my feeling about the weekend...minus the cat. Will post again tomorrow.

Toodles

Random Act of Kindness

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4436390a10.html

Sometimes you come across stories about animals that are just amazing. Thanks to Danielle for this one! It is a lovely little story about the coolest dolphin ever that helped save a couple of beached sperm whales.

Read it and then notice the smile it brings to your face.  Makes me want to do a random act of kindness. Last night at the supermarket a guy in front of me had to take off the new socks he wanted to buy because he didn't have enough money. I should have bought them for him...that's what the dolphin would have done. Lesson learnt...sometimes you need a little reminder.

Book 'em

At the moment I am not working much at all. It sounds very cushy I know...but in reality it does get a little boring. Luckily I am easily occupied with the internet and all the wonders it offers. Don't be worried, I still get outside to see the day and squeeze in a little pilates too.

This picture makes me want to organise all of our books in stacks of colour. Who knew it would look so cool. In fact it makes me want to buy books purely for the colour of the cover and how it will look in its relevant stack ( I guarantee you this will subconsciously somehow affect my choices). Lord knows i will have to sift though all of the embarrassing titles though. Admit it...you also to put the cool ones closer to eye level so all your visitors are wowed by your intellectual taste and cultured life. 

p.s. I love the little bird on top of the white stack.

Toodles

Get me one of these!

I know I am a total geek but is this not the best invention since the retractable sharpee?! I love highlighters and flag post its and now being able to use them both at once is a magical thing.

The people at post it are genius! I want the three pack...did I mention they are refillable?

I know you all want them now too! Go buy them on Amazon

That's all for now. 

A little precipitation preparation

Rain, rain go away...at least until May please. It's been raining all weekend and is finally letting up. I know I can't complain, we have had an amazing summer and things are really dry so a little moisture is what the flowers need but I am just not prepared yet. I have been looking for some rain boots/wellies/gumboots for a wee while, of course for the practical reasons and because they look cute and dainty with skirts. As I get older I definitely am steering away from any edgy/minimalistic looks and am more attracted to pretty/girly items. Sam sometimes refers to me as "grandma" because of my homebody ways, love of loose teas and second hand stores but I am fine and comfortable with that. I have a sneaky feeling my rain boots are going to cement my new nickname further. Whatever...Grandma is the new black.

I found the rain boots above at Target. They are only 20 bucks and awfully spiffy. I am steering towards the orange ones ( I have been obsessed with the colour orange for about 6 months). There are so many options online though my decision could take sometime. 

Now I am off to drink tea in my slippers, out of my new tea cup and saucer, put my feet up and watch some TV. Holla to all the other 30 year old "grandmas" out there! Represent! 

I am on the internet later than normal tonight. We generally try and get to bed by 10.30 after my long routine of washes and tonics and the tribal ceremony of removing the various throw pillows off our bed. This of course is followed by my nightly bout of verbal diarrea in where I feel the need to share with Sam all of my thoughts of the day and my latest wisdom of life while he tries to keep his eyes open and pretend to care. I don't even mind his lack of enthusiasm in my rant...I love bedtime and sleeping. I could happily sleep in late everyday, I am not one of those people who feel obligated to get up. The world can wait as far as I'm concerned. Life is rarely as peaceful as when your wrapped up in your duvet, snuggled next to your honey bun!

At the moment we rent an early 80's style granny flat near to the beach. I wouldn't exactly call it inspiring or glamorous but it is fine for now and enables us to live in one of the best locations in NZ. I plot and plan everyday of how I will design and decorate my own home one day. How I (I mean we) will ever eventually decide on what to do I don't know, but I love collecting ideas along the way. Since I am on the subject of bedtime I thought I would share this photo I found on design sponge. I am really drawn to how serene and sweet this bedroom looks. I love the letter plaque on the wall...I may keep my eye out for an S for us. At the moment I am a big fan of that eclectic look of mixing different contexts like paintings, prints, photos and objects to make a very personal collage-like area on the wall. This room has achieved it perfectly without looking cluttered and fussy. I imagine that room to smell like sweet pea and lemongrass and be really quiet except for the light hint of birds chirping outside. Magic.

Anyhoo...off to the land of nod for me. 

ta ta for now!

Maybe if I clicked my heels three times.

This Saturday we are going to a wedding for some friends of ours and I am completely underwhelmed by my wardrobe. I am really tired of my clothes at the moment. All of my best pieces are from 2 years ago and no matter how hard I try to find cool interesting clothing here...it feels impossible. So in order to make myself feel even worse, I go online and drool over clothes I can't get. Above is what I wish I was wearing this weekend. This gorgeous dress by Diane Von Furstenburg would be so perfect. I love the colour and the fact I could gorge myself at the reception and still feel skinny. After all, the last wedding I went to was my own and it's safe to say there wasn't a lot of space for food in the bitch tight corset I wore underneath my dress...so the plan is to live it up at other peoples big day.
So, if someone out there is smart enough to want to buy this I found it at Saks. Let it be known I will be green with envy...

I carry your heart

This morning I have woken up to wind and rain so i had a big stretch and made a cup of tea. We are heading into a busy month full of visitors, weddings, birthdays and Easter. This weekend is the last quiet one I am going to have for a wee while so i plan to make the most of it. Perhaps i will clean my flat or clean out my closet or go for a walk or catch up on some correspondence or maybe just eat a large portion of the 3 pound chocolate heart I have sitting here and watch the notebook for the 100th time. I'm not a betting woman, but if I was, I would put my money on the last option.

Above is an excerpt from the poem by E.E. Cummings called  I carry your heart with me. I am sure many of you know this poem but if you have time, go back and read it again...it really is something special.

I have been working on getting a larger version of this print from the designer which I found on etsy (I heart etsy) for Sam as a gift since November. I have visions of it framed above our bed. What a lovely reminder it would give me everyday. The esty shop they come from is called project8256 if you want to go see her other work. 

Toodles for now

S

Happy Friday

Happy Friday! I just stumbled across the very cool wall mural from Urban Outfitters. I know it's very "urban" but I love it. Not sure where I would ever put it but I want one.

So it's the end of my first week bloggin. I am in awe I am of the internet. It is safe to say I am a novice at this and I have so much to learn. I couldn't sleep last night from the buzz of knowledge...its been awhile.
Anyhoo, will post again tomorrow. And maybe actually tell some people about the site. It seems a little weird at the moment. I am pretty much having a conversation with myself.
Toodles

Rescued Iraqi Pup

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23295271/
click above to read

This story is like a warm fuzzy blanket and a cup of hot chocolate. I feel very strongly about animals...especially dogs and am sometimes in awe of how much a little animal can impact so many people lives for the better. I miss my little Olive. She would love this story too...in fact she probably would fancy the pants off that Iraqi pup.

I have so many ideas of what to put on this page that I am almost bursting at the seams. I thought I would keep it simple today. These little dolls have just arrived into the store where I work (occasionally). About the size of your thumb, they are the most adorable little wooden figurines that have their own bright personalities. Not only are they the sweetest designs and colours but they also hold a small folded up paper for you to write a personal message to the special person you are giving it to. How lovely, when times get tough or you have a bad day, your little Momiji doll is sitting right there with a handwritten reminder of how much you are loved. I heart these little gems!

Welcome to my blog

This is the first post of my brand spanking new blog...well my first ever blog to be exact. It is something I have decided to do after much thinking and pondering how I could have an outlet for all the inspiring and beautiful things I heart. I read a few special blogs everyday and admire the women who write them..so here I am...joining the team of online dreamers and schemers. I love nothing more than pretty things and making things pretty. For some reason visual delights just make me shine with happiness and feeds my soul. My intention is to add to this page as often as possible and include everything from personal notes and photos, to fashion, design and music that I love. For my friends and family far away it will give them an insight of where I am in my busy little head right now and for others I hope to brighten your day, inspire or entertain you for a few moments at the very least.

My current location on the planet is New Zealand. I have lived in the land of the long white cloud for two years now and it still takes my breath away. The landscape is clean and crisp and looks like it has been enhanced like the old films in Technicolor. Above is a photo of Mount Maunganui where I live. This beautiful little beach town is really quite perfect. I love that I can walk to town to get a latte and then cruise over to sit on the beach and people watch. It's easy to take for granted what is around you and I am definitely guilty of that. So today I went for a walk and took the time to look at the beach, notice the rich colour of the water and smiled at all the scrumptious little kids playing in the sand.

I absolutely heart New Zealand.... almost as much as mash potatoes and gravy.