It's all about Flowers

These are my favourite photos from the Chelsea Flower Show in London. The displays were absolutely stunning. I had always wanted to go to this show, so myself and my 15 year old daughter (at the time), enjoyed a 'girlie' trip about two years ago.

 One can never have enough flowers!

Delphiniums and begonias.

Sweet Peas

Daffodils

Gerberas

Daisies

Begonias...

...and then there were strawberries...

...and tulips.

I always enjoy looking at these images and I hope you do to.

Happy Tuesday!

Vintage Finds

Looks like I have accidentally started a collection of enamelware. You know when you are attracted to either colour, texture or shape of an item and you just have to find a place in your home for it? Well this will be the beginning of my accidental enamel collection.

I bought the enamel jug at the Woolloongabba Antiques Centre yesterday. I love that place it is jam packed full of every treasure you could imagine. The enamel teapot I bought at a local thrift store. You may remember my post about a tablecloth which was thrift store find, that's what I used to cover the old Cath Kidston box in. It is not completed so please excuse the unfinished edges on it I just had to have it included in these photographs.

The other little ring box is covered in Cath Kidston 'bubbles' fabric. I am just loving covering boxes in fabric rather than throw them out.

Yep, I have changed my blog name, as you will see the new exciting direction I am heading into in the next few weeks.

Exploring Rocky

I love exploring places I have never been to before. Aussie Country Town Architecture -there is nothing like it!

Here are few pics that I took on our trip on the way up north to the Whitsundays. We stayed overnight at Rockhampton (affectionately known as Rocky)- approximately 615kms north of Brisbane.

Overlooking the Fitzroy River is the stunning Heritage Hotel. This huge and most beautiful building was  earmarked for demolition a few years ago, and many of its original fixtures and fittings – doors, windows and some cabinetry – were stripped out.

The present owners saved the day (big YAY!) when they purchased the hotel in 2005 and extensively renovated the 110 year old Aussie Pub. I must tell you that the bars in this hotel were very well patronised on a Monday evening and all accommodation was fully booked.

The iron lace work on the verandahs' is stunning. If you enlarge the collage you will see the ladder to nowhere. Can't work that one out!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Raining Red Umbrellas

Definately an umbrella day today in Brisbane!

 Its not too bad though - only a shower or two is forecast but I am having a bad hair day already!

Image source unknown

Wouldn't these red umbrellas brighten up a dreary old rainy day?

Beaching it up!

We enjoyed lunch today at Montes Resort at Hideaway Beach, here in the Whitsundays and this was the view.

Then we went for a walk up the beach.

This resort was fully booked and yet not one person on the beach!! We only stayed for lunch then it was back to the marina to work on the boat.

Tropics here we come!

Have to complete a few repairs on our yacht which is moored at the Whitsunday Islands at present. So we are taking off today and will be back on Tuesday. What a tough few days it is going to be....

I hope I see this heart shape island!

Quick Thrifty Weekend Makeover

From this thrift store find and a $2 pack of serviettes...

To this...

My teenage daughter wanted a small bin she could tuck away in her shelving and of course it had to be colour co-ordinated with her room. We could not find anything suitable so this is what we did instead. If you link back to this post you will find the instructions.  

It is cheap and really easy and best of all she is happy with it!

Lifeline Bookfest Finds Galore today!

Having a rummage through two million second-hand and vintage books, CD's and Magazines at the Lifeline Bookfest at the Brisbane Convention Centre was how we spent our public holiday today.

For the international readers Lifeline is a charity organisation and hold  Bookfests twice a year.

We also enjoyed the laments of a comical announcer...

These books are my favourite finds and I can't wait until I can curl up in a chair and read to my hearts content!

For those living in Brisbane it is on again tomorrow. Usually quite a good day to go as most books are reduced to half price! A book lover's paradise.

Looking for the Perfect Shade of Blue

Photos from here

I am on a mission to find the perfect shade of blue for a pair of vintage lampbases. I am so used to painting items for my home white, that I am having trouble deciding what shade of blue to choose. I feel I need to inject more colour around me and painting the lampbases will be perfect. I think I am leaning towards a French blue to make a statement but I was just wondering...

How do you choose the right shade of colours?

Paint and then change if it is not right?

French Provincial Magazine

It was a lovely surprise to receive my French Provincial Mag in the mail today! There is always something about France that captures my senses.

Back to the mag...it's an Australian publication with fantastic stories an photos from France and from Australia. A great read for the Francophiles!!!

Bayside Moments Sailing on the Bay...

I was able to capture this amazing shot last week when we were sailing on Moreton Bay.

Looks like a shark doesn't it? It also has a chunk out of it's fin and I am sure it is one of the dolphins that are fed on a daily basis at the Tangalooma Resort .

A school of dolphins surrounded the boat and they were having a great time frolicking and showing off their diving abilities.

Next week.... the Whitsundays, not much time to organise my online store for handmade and vintage goodies, or vintage shopping, or painting...

La Ballon Rouge

Images from here

I really love these images so I was inspired to find out more as they remind me of a childhood fantasy I used to have.

 The 30 minute movie is about a boy on his way to school one morning and he makes friends with a red balloon. It begins to follow him.  A gang of boys destroy the balloon and then balloons of different sizes and colours descend on the boy from all parts of Paris. They lift him into the sky and take him over the horizon. 

These images are from an Oscar winning French Movie called Le Ballon Rouge which was first released in 1956. A blue ray disc has been released this year in the UK - that's how popular this short movie has been.

I must see this movie and escape from reality for 30 minutes!

For the love of Roses...

Have a wonderful weekend everyone...

When was the last time you smiled at a stranger?

Rainforests and Sunsets

This week we have enjoyed a visit from a relative who lives in Devon in the UK. He wanted to see an example of sub-tropical rainforest so we decided to take him to Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve in Maleny, about an hours drive from Brisbane. This is a relatively small 55 hectare National Estate with walking tracks, wildlife and diverse plant life. Here is some of our journey in our part of the world.

This is one of the towering Strangler Fig Trees in the park which would have started it life as a seed in the canopy. The roots grow down to the forest floor, then their roots wrap around the host tree.

The host tree then dies leaving the fig with a hollow trunk.

After we had been though the rainforest we decided to have afternoon tea at the cafe. These were the amazing views we enjoyed.

I can never tire of the majestic and completely stunning views of the Glasshouse Mountains.

Scarborough was next on the agenda to visit, so we stopped by the local Scarborough Yacht Club.

Realising we should not really stay at the Yacht Club all afternoon, we then went for a lovely stroll on the Redcliffe Peninsula, passing some small holiday beach cottages complete with bay views!

The sunset was stunning.

House of Colour

Don't you just love the explosion of colour on this home?

 It is a canal side home in a neighbouring suburb.

The colours, to me, capture the raw elements of the sea the sun, the sand, the earth.

And the design, I love it....and yes I am dreaming!