Early Mark

Image Courtesy New York Times

Just signing off until next week. I need to catch up with my life! Have a great weekend and thanks for all your lovely comments and emails. I truly love hearing from you.

A-M xx

What Is It.....

Image Courtesy Coastal Living

.... with blue and white.... that stops me in my tracks? It's so fresh and clean.....and while we're on the topic...breezy!

Loving this porch. If mine wasn't so open to the elements (read...red dust and rain), I would be just as adventurous with the whole porch furniture thing. At present I have my 2 gorgeous verandah chairs out there... still with their stock cushions in plastic, ah la 'Everybody Loves Raymond' Marie style! We are having such windy, dusty weather here this Spring, my porch, along with every interior and exterior surface, is a nightmare to clean. One always has to consider the practicality of decor as well as it's aesthetic! The plastic is staying until the weather calms down. "How embarassment"... as my friends say!
A-M xx

Oh The Breeze

I've had a little bit of constructive criticism come my way from some readers, saying that I do not post enough photos of my house, considering the title of my blog......so I am posting a photo today just for you!

This photo was taken just last weekend, on a beautiful day here in Brisbane. I was sitting on the step in my hall (the step up to the kitchen/dining/living area) just cherishing a moment. A beautiful, beautiful warm breeze was blowing through the front door, right through the hall and out through the back French doors, which were all open (and secured with hubby's new doorstops!!). I love the view from the hall step, down my hall floorboards, out onto the porch, through the white balustrade, over the tin roof (on the sweet little colonial house over the road), and out to the gorgeous trees up on the hill. It's a real 'inner city Queensland view'.... tin roofs, old colonial houses, palm trees, gum trees and sunshine. My 'big boy' has a great view of these trees from his room. We lie in the dark, in his bed at night, and create characters from the shapes of the trees.

So this is part of my lovely hall, still waiting for a decent door mat and the picture hanger, to hang my huge hall mirror over my hallstand (still propped up against the wall on old cloth nappies!). I have ordered the 'symmetry lamps', thanks to Karna!... so I will reveal the rest in the next few weeks! Happy Tuesday!

A-M xx

Decision Has Been Made.....

 Image Courtesy Karna's Hus

...... thanks to 'Karna's Hus'. I am so going to do the 'two lamps on the hall stand thingy'. Karna's Hus is not only deliciously gorgeous but I just love how she embraces symmetry. Time for some more symmetry, here at 'The House'.

Image Courtesy Karna's Hus

 All images courtesy Karna's gorgeous house

Now, I'm off pot shopping today... as in garden pots!  See you tomorrow.
A-M xx

Visiting

Image Courtesy Easy Living

I'm all blogged out for this week. I find it very frustrating that I don't have enough time to 'visit back' my blog readers...... so instead of pondering the state of the nation this morning, here at 'The House', I am going visiting. See you over at your place! Have a great weekend.

A-M xx

Living With Candles

Inspired by the 'Living With Candles' section in Susan Southam's beautiful book, Velvet Pears, I did a whip around and lit every candle in the house in the early evening, yesterday. Verdict? "You know Mum, this is such a beautiful house". Glad you noticed boys!

A lavishly illustrated and deeply personal story of the creation of an idiosyncratic Australian country garden, Velvet Pears is an inspirational book that is also full of practical ideas. Author Susan Southam created the amazing garden at Foxglove Spires on the land of an old dairy paddock, on the beautiful NSW South Coast in Tilba Tilba. Velvet Pears captures the essence of living simply and with the seasons, within a local community, with a sustainable lifestyle.

With the Aussie dollar the way it is at present, the www.bookdepository.co.uk has this gorgeous book at a great price at the moment.

Enjoy!  A-M xx

Lovely

Image Via Shelter

Isn't this the most serene, little ones room. The high ceilings are wonderful. I would have loved to have done the 'world map wallpaper thing', in one of my boys rooms...... but alas too many big windows and not enough wall space! Love my windows! A-M xx

Next Time File

 

Image Courtesy House Beautiful

I'm putting together a file for 'next time' and this image I just love.. high ceilings, windows, wainscotting, mosaic tile floor and blue stuff. I also love the rounded shape of the lovely tub.

I have both the boys home today as it is a pupil free day at school.... so short and sweet this morning.

Have a great week!

A-M xx

Bunk Beauties

Image Courtesy Coastal Living

Isn't this cute!... a bit high though... and no edge or railing! I love the idea and look of bunks but the possible trips to emergency have kept them out of my boys current life.

Had a great day yesterday, with my big boy.  We strolled to the post office, the bakery and then rummaged through the local junk shop, stopped in at Mary Ryan's for the BEST coffee in Bulimba (big statement) and to purchase Vicki's "French Essence" (I talked about 3 other people into buying it while I was there).

We ended up cross legged on the floor of Big W, determined to find every Jim Carrey movie on sale that we could. My boy had me in hysterics... he does the BEST Jim Carrey, 'Ace Ventura Pet Detective', impersonations. He's got him down pat, right down to the distorted mouth as he speaks, the accent and even the open shirted walk. "I'm ready to go in coach, just give me a chance"...... gets me EVERY time he does it.

So as you might have guessed, we spent the afternoon watching Jim Carrey movies and just hangin' out. There were emotional, little one 'I missed you' clutching scenes at school pickup, as you could imagine, and brotherly hugs up at the kitchen bench during afternoon tea. I am enjoying them so much at present... just cherishing.... do you ever wish you could just stop time and bottle them?
A-M xx

Hanging Out

Image Courtesy Traditional Home

Wouldn'y this be the nicest place to hang out? ....the prettiest little 'cup of tea' nook.

Little one is most indignant as the big boy and I are just hanging out together today. He has permission from school to have the day off as: 1. They are absolutely exhausted from 4 days without decent sleep and  2. The second round of boys have headed off for 4 days and there is no-one at school to teach the boys! My son does want to attend on Friday though, "just so I look responsible Mum". Please don't tell me this is going to end when he hits his teens. He's such a joy in my life. Even when he was a little tike, I used to look at him and think, "you've been here before mate, you're just too wise".

Little one was beside himself at the big brother homecoming. He first had to tell his brother, "I was even still crying about you last night as I was watching a DVD of you performing in your Year Two Play". Oh the melodramatics.... he can turn it on alright. He sat there the night before last with a box of tissues, watching videos of his brother. Hilarious! One's an optimist and one's a pessimist. Go figure!

Readers, you were right,my boy did not shower for 4 days... there were no showers..... complete mortifcation!!!!. So yes, Dettol bath and foot scrub...... you should have seen the water! Fresh and clean, he sat down to his favourite meal (table set by little one, complete with candle and flower) and raved about how nice the wooden floors felt under his feet. Nothing like roughing it to appreciate the comforts of home.

So this mother is happy as all her chickens are home again. Now for the washing. I just left it in a festering pile in the garage last night....to do now!
A-M xx

More Storms - Yawn

 The golden glow of an approaching dust storm

Boy, did we have a ferocious (wet, not dust) storm here yesterday afternoon.... for 15 seconds..... it was wild.... but it still didn't wash the layers of red dust off my white roof.

My heart sank when the news reader stated, blah, blah.."very heavy rain".... blah....."ferocious winds"...... "and the worst hit were the islands".... my boy!..... he was in the thick of it all... in a flimsy tent! I bet he got really wet. It also rained heavily the night before, for about half an hour. I'm thinking.. no phone call to the parents.... so they should all be alright? This is killing me.

Oh, and we have another dust storm forecast for today... again... yeah, yeah.....another layer. I'm not doin' any house work today until 'the layer' has arrived.

My boy arrives home tonight.... I'm sure with lots of 'boys own adventure stories' ......and some very fragrant washing.
A-M xx

Memorable Markets

Image Courtesy Love Stamp

Popped down to the Boutique Markets on the weekend, with my 'instant new best friend neighbour'. We had a lovely time chatting to the Mondo Cherry girls (sort of purchased a lot from their stall) and stuffing our faces with cherry danishes and the like. I had been stalking the 'Boutique Markets' blog for a while so when we arrived, I made a bee line straight to the 'Love Stamp' stall. I am having Jo (Love Stamp) custom make me this gorgeous necklace.... but with my boys names on it! I will wear it forever. Big statement...... but true.
Verdict???.. the Boutique Markets = Fabulous!
A-M xx

Bought these little birdies from Mondo Cherry

Emotional Upheaval

Well, camp is underway and 'little one' is not coping too well. His tears started as soon as the legendary 'Arthur Dunger' camp hat (Paul Hogan Show character, 1970's) was placed on big brother's head, before he walked out the door.

An emotional balcony farewell waving scene ensued, and then, once the car was a mere speck on the horizon, 'little one' collapsed in a crumpled heap, on the lounge, and sobbed.... literally.... for half an hour. He eventually shuffled upstairs to read a book. Every now and then I would hear a little whimper. "Are you alright, darling?" "Yes, just thinking about him, Mum."

The tears continued throughout the day as 'reminders' were everywhere. While helping with the folding, fishing big brother's guitar pick out of my new washing machine (for the 50 millionth time) - tears. Putting big brothers clothes away - tears. Swimming solo in silence in the pool - tears.

I'm going out in sympathy and missing him terribly too. I just didn't realise how much of a responsible little boy my big boy is. I know this sounds terrible but I can't remember the last time I actually made my boys breakfast. Big one does it all for himself and his little brother. I even found big one in little one's bed in the middle of the night, the other night....."he was just having a nightmare Mum, I'm rubbing his back until he goes back to sleep".

Yep..... I'm aching now. 3 days to go.
A-M xx

Reference: 'Arthur Dunger' Hat, Paul Hogan Show.

Camp

Image Courtesy Michael Graydon

A gorgeous room to finish off the week. Light and white, with pops of blue and a vase of 'happy' flowers...perfect. Birdies are cute too.

Getting big son ready for a 4 day school camp, starting this weekend.....on an island, in tents, with lots of swimming and water fun. Won't his washing be fragrant next Wednesday! I am packing stuff I can bin on his return. Little one is not going to cope with his absence. Might have to rope in my 'instant new best friend's' son, from next door, to fill in as big brother, while real brother is away. Have a great weekend. See you Monday.

A-M xx

More DIY....

...Ebay chairs finally painted! Saved heaps by buying them flatpacked and assembling and painting them myself. Of course, hubby had a hand in the paint job...never misses an opportunity to wear the beekeeping painting suit! We used the paint gun and they came up a treat. Nearby grass and plants will never be the same again though! The gorgeous Sarah, from one of my favourite blogs, A Beach Cottage, is inspiring me daily to do more and more projects myself. I have learnt so much from her innate sense of style. Have a look at her latest project, a vintage trunk... to die for. My chairs..... a great DIY start....with something safe!  Just waiting on a gorgeous French mirror for the 'pool shack' and some potted greenery and then the pool area will start looking a little less "we've just moved in-ish". Slowly, slowly!
A-M xx

UPDATE: For those interested in aquiring these beauties in their natural form, contact Chris at www.theporch.com.au. 

Loving.....

Image Courtesy Jan Constantine

I don't think there is one item in Jan's shop I could walk past and not purchase! Her 'Pop Art' kills me. HERE.
A-Mxx

Boys Bathroom

Yeah, should have turned the lights on - bit of an average picture - sorry - I am so not a photographer.

I just realised that I haven't posted a photo, of the main/boys bathroom, since we moved in.... so here is one from my files, just after we moved in. The lovely big bath sits in front of the cabinet in a hobb, tiled in the floor tiles I had cut into 10 x 10mm mosaics... to make it a little bit more masculine... had to compensate for the mirrors! Mirrors are from Perfect Pieces, sourced through my favourite interior shop, 'Found In France', here in Brisbane. 'Totally out of place stool' - Ikea of course - essential for teeth cleaning.... at least it is white, with grey dots!....and sort of blends in. The window is an 8 by 1, in old fashioned opaque glass..... lots of light. You can't see the detail of the wall tiles in the image but they have a subtle damask pattern running through them. I love them to bits.

I'm sitting here having my morning coffee with hubby and he just said, "did you tell 'them' about all the work I did on the weekend? Aaah no..... but for anyone who is interested...... hubby disappeared out the back at 6am on Sunday, in his painting suit, and didn't reappear until dinner time. In that time he painted every inch of every rendered retaining wall, all the side decks and front steps. He couldn't move last night and was too tired to eat! The blank canvas is almost complete and ready for potted plants.
Happy Monday everyone. I hope you have a great week. I plan to. I am so over last week!
A-M xx

Taking Control

They have taken her away from me... I miss her so. Regrouping and scheming. She'll be back soon.
A-M xx

Not Another One

The start of the first dust storm last week. It got so dark and red, I got scared and forgot to take a photo in the thick of it all.

Yep, another dust storm is forecast for this weekend.... the third in a fortnight. My white roof is red...and it's going to get redder!

A challenging week...... major server issues where my website is hosted.... so my website has been down for most of the week. I am not alone. There's lots of us suffering. Should be resolved by the weekend. Will tell you all about it next week... it's a good story... major goss actually. I'm signing off for this week. Nothing like a week without income to kill the 'blogging mojo'.
Miss you already!
A-M xx