Showing posts with label My home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My home. Show all posts

Have yourselves a merry little Christmas!

WOW this month has been insane! I'm finally finished work, shopping and apart from Xmas day I've pretty much got all the friends and relo's festivities out of the way so now I'm well and truly ready to relax and enjoy the summer! After the boxing day sales (naturally) we are all going up to the lake house for 2 weeks of sun and fun. I can't wait!

This year has been an absolute BLAST! Discovering blogland has been one of the best things I've ever done. I have loved every single minute of it. Meeting each of you and delving into your inspiring and adventurous lives has been the ultimate honour and pleasure. I simply can't wait to see what the new year brings.

I wish you ALL a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year! May all your wishes and dreams come true *HUGS*

Anna xox.

p.s Following are just some poor quality pics of Christmas around my home ;)


(try to ignore the big ugly navy sofa in the corner, it's going next year! lol)






(my attempt at a quiche hehe)


(I remember last christmas saying I was going to paint my mirror white, well hopefully i'll get around to painting it before next christmas lol)






(I'd never make it as a stylist, who leaves the loo paper in the shot? lol)


(again, candle should have been lit!)

(some beautiful pastel baubles, my friend Brook gave me last year)



See you all in 2009! Stay safe and eat yourselves silly! ;)








We have babies...



(please click to enlarge)
Here are a couple of pics I took of our new family additions on the weekend. Aren't they cute?

Gosh I hope they're all girls lol.

I hope ' y'all ' had or are having a great weekend :)



Happiness is....

Winning another Ebay auction!

I've been looking for the perfect French bakers stand for my kitchen for years. Naturally, the style that was my favourite was indeed the most expensive kind. An authentic Provincial stand or forged iron made from Le Forge. These unfortunately were a little out of my reach so I then turned to trusty Ebay. As they say, good things come to those who wait.... With perseverance, patience and damn good luck I found and won my ultimate prize at a bargin price.

The Lyon galvanized iron bakers stand retails for $1795. I won my baby for $188.50!!!




She is more beautiful than I could imagine and is quite the show stopper in my home. I almost felt guilty when I went to pick it up cause I'd won it so cheaply. The previous owners said they were sad to see it go but were excited as they were remodelling their kitchen. Well it certainly has come to a new loving home :)

I'm still trialling ways of display but I really like my fruit and veg baskets at the bottom. I am thinking I need Judy from Lily G to hook a sister up with some blue and white ginger jars ;) Can anyone else make any suggestions?

btw we just finished repainting the kitchen ( it's a little hard to tell with my poor photography skills) with the colour Beige Chalk by Taubmans. Thank you Haley from Porchlight Interiors for the inspiration! I LOVE IT!



The home my new baby originally came from was in another of my favourite blue ribbon suburbs of Sydney called Pymble. This is the kind of old established leafy suburb that has an eclectic mix of quiant traditional homes as well as ultra contemporary.

The home I'm featuring is just one example of the older darling residences I'd love to buy. If it were mine I'd probably try to encorporate some ornate ironwork to the panels beneath the windows and change the front steps.



Lovely entry foyer with beloved floorboards and plenty of light.


High ceilings and large rooms are something they just seem to forget about with todays building standards.



I love the built in cabinetry. I have PLENTY of nik naks to fill those shelves lol. I would rip out the carpet and replace it with parquetry hardwood floors and fill it with French treasures.



The family room is smaller but still full of light. I would replace the kitchen with antique white cupboards and stone countertop. I would perhaps replace the flooring with travertine limestone tiles.



What a sweet bedroom. I just love timber, colonial, double hung windows. Another feature you don't see often anymore.



A lovely outdoor area complete with climbers.


(pics of home via realestate.com.au)

The pool needs updating but still a relaxing spacious area.

It's not a large home with only 3 bedrooms but with a few modifications I would be quite happy living here. This house has been sold so good luck to the new owners :)







Another year older...

Twas my birthday yesterday and I wanted to show off a couple of yummy pressie's I received from my sweet husband and gorgeous children.

When SH asked what it was I wanted for my birthday I immediately piped up and said "A bottle of Chanel Mademoiselle!" before he barely finished the sentence hehe and can you believe this is my very first bottle of Chanel? Don't ask me what took me so long lol. I guess I have my favourites and tend to stick to them. This incredible fragrance is definately now my new favourite scent. And it's pink too! I'm so thankful, I couldn't have wished for anything more :)

My beautiful babies also surprised me with handmade cards and these exquisite hot pink roses - courtesy of their dad :)


Haha I'll never make it as a stylist LOL ;)






That evening a few close friends and family and I had an AMAZING meal at our local pub, which is actually more like a resort these days after their extensive renovations. I had a lovely evening, with fantasic conversation, a bunch of laughs and little too much champagne lol. Thank you dear friends for your cherished gifts and wonderful company. I will remember it always :)

Mosaic making....

(please click to enlarge)

Inspired by all the mosaic's I've seen on my favourite blogs and flickr pages I thought I'd try one myself.


This is my first attempt and it's basically a virtual inspiration board for my new bedroom. Girly glamour, romantic, and traditional French chic are all words I would say best describes it's style.


I received Laura Ashley wallpaper and fabric samples in the mail today and I was bursting with excitement. My real inspiration board is almost complete. I'll post pics of this in the near future :)
5 Google, 6 Villa Anna, 7 Laura Ashley, 8 David Brian Sanders
9, Villa Anna, 10 Eva Lindh, 11 NY rug company, 12 Villa Anna


A vignette...


Inspired by my new favourite book, last night I decided to attempt a little vignette using some new and old items from around my home. I filled the birdcage with as many white items I could fit - mostly figurines, a candle, shell and you're probably wondering why I have an "&" (and) symbol in there, I would prefer to put the letter "A" but I don't have one as yet :)





I love this old chippy table. It stands in my hallway so this is what people see when they walk in.
Let me know what you think. Did I get it completely wrong or have I passed? lol

(apologies for my poor photography skills lol)


p.s For a really fabulous post about The New French Decor book and lots of scanned pictures, check out Paris Hotel Boutique :)

I bought a daybed!!




(click to enlarge)


Today I just had to show off my newest purchase. I'd been looking on Ebay and such for a new bed for Soph and I couldn't believe my luck when I saw a picture and ad at my local supermarket for this reproduction french iron daybed at a bargin price. Selfishly I have wanted one for the longest time and thank god my little Sophierella loves it as much as me. It's alot higher than her previous bed and she calls it her princess bed :)

I ADORE all the scrolls and I love that when she grows out of it I can have a buttoned french style mattress (sorry I don't know the proper name for it) made like the one pictured below and use it either indoors or outdoors.


(image courtesy of Robin Stubbert via The Laurel Hedge)

Thank you so much Brookie for helping me today set the bed and the room up for her. She got such a surprise :)

One of my favourite places in the whole world...

Well I'm back from my short break with my mum and the kids on Sydney's central coast. I feel so blessed to have this wonderful home in my family for us to share and enjoy. My parents and grandparents built this home almost 30 years ago and my grandparents lived there for 25yrs till their passing. Now it's used as a holiday house by my extended family.


My Pa was a "jack of all trades" and he made the tumbling water feature and planted the garden. Beautiful agapanthus and daisy's bloom in the spring. The plaque reads "grandpa's garden".
He also built all the timber work for the house including the pillars and crisscrossed balcony.


The interiors are very basic but comfortable and most of it is still as it was while my GP's resided.

^^This is bedroom 3

^^This is bedroom 4 or the nursery.

Sophie sitting on the bank of the lake sketching a duck.

This is the back of the house at sunset.

Sunset over the lake.

I HAD to mention, during our time away we got the chance to see Mamma Mia. It was BRILLIANT! I couldn't help dancing and singing in my chair like the dork I am lol. If you haven't seen it yet GO NOW! lol ;)

^^ My favourite scene



I ADORED the bohemian interiors of Villa Donna hehe. I have decided I am completely obsessed with aqua walls and shutters and they featured in abundance in this movie.

^^ Colin Firth = YUM! ;)


Another day was spent at the beach only 2mins away. The temperature was only around 20 degrees celcius but the sky was crystal clear, the sun was shining, the sand was clean and soft and the water was sparkling blue. I was wearing yoga pants and a hoody but the kids headed straight for the water - crazy kids!

^^The fortress

^^Emu Sophie

They insisted the water was warm, I wasn't convinced lol.







^^Aussie boy Will :)
For other posts and pics of my holiday home click here

Anyways I'm happy to be back on deck and catch up on all my favourite blogs. I've missed you!


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