I have an awful feeling we're in for one of those horribly long soggy patches we get in Newcastle in Spring. Weeks of rain that seem like they'll never let up. So much rain that you have to continually fertilise the garden as it washes away the nutrients. Eep.
Today I'm going to love this day so much I'll want to marry it.
I'm just heading out to collect my gal from her sleepover party and then, at lunchtime, I'm off to pick up my sister-in-law and two neices. They're coming to stay for a few days which is very squee-worthy. Hopefully the weather will pick up, although I don't think the overcast sky will stop three girls from swimming up a storm.
Does anybody know why my blog links don't seem to be updated? Specifically my Best Read column where blogger is stubbornly refusing to post Maxabella Loves as today's post {ie MINE}.
This is the bathroom in our 'second choice/second house in Provence' {yeah, I know, I hate me too...}. I'm thinking I'm needing similar tiles when we renovate our bathroom so I'm saving this for inspiration. 
Guess what? We've booked our tickets for our holiday next year. Squeeeeeeee! We have a friend who's a travel agent and my husband gave him our dates to check out any early bird deals and oh boy, did he find a deal. Next year we're flying with Singapore Airlines, in the swishy new airbus for a price less than what we paid in 2006 - and 1999 for that matter! I know!
Here's another chapter in my on-going "Penny Pinching for Paris {and Provence}" and it's all about dinners. I don't know about you, but one of our greatest expenditures is on food - and I'm not going to start eating baked beans and two-minute-noodles! Instead, when I cook I look to see how my food can do double duty. 
The colours! The fabric! The fabulously swooshiness of that skirt!
How could I resist these? C'mon, heels with a mohawk? Priceless! Yves Saint Laurent sure know how to whip up a shoe - and considering I'd just come off watching Glee when I found these, they were a no-brainer to feauture {shoes that remind you of Puck every time you look down? Mmmmm}
This here is the sunroom where the adults spent many daylight hours of our holiday. Out that glorious picture window is just part of the 100 acres where two 10-and 11-year-old girls would wander. Those teeny little fluffy things in the background are the cows and alpacas they hung out with. The girls would wander in before midday and we'd head off to a town for lunch, then we'd come back and wouldn't see them again until it was time for them to walk with their dads up the hill to the local pub. The girls would sit around the corner in the 'kid's section' with a raspberry and lemonade and a packet of chips, while the dads sat in the next room with a couple of local beers.
I know it's a Saturday, but after a week of positively indulgent eating {lots of duck confit, plenty of pork belly and all-round deliciousness} it's time to get onto some lighter spring meals. Here's what I'll be serving up this second week of the school holidays:
Yesterday it was our kitty cat's fourth birthday. So we celebrated with a "birthday cake" made from Fancy Feast and tempters. I love this shot I snapped off with my dearly beloved Hipstamatic function on my iPhone {husband is not so enamoured so I have to make sure I take shots with the regular camera as well...}.
This Saturday I'm grateful that we've just spent the most relaxing week in the country. Yep, that's the house we stayed in - again. I'd find it hard to ever stay in another holiday house as this one has so much to offer: views of the valley to die for, 100 acres for the girls to wander around, alpalcas {now officially my favourite animal after seeing them run - hilarious}, a massive big fireplace and huge couches to gather around at night, and the most delicious sunroom to while away the daylight hours.
Open those diaries and circle 9am October 31 as Stella McCartney is designing a new range for Target. Yeah baby! Last time around I bought the most exquisite wool and cashmere jumper and swing coat and still love both of them to bits. Run - otherwise you'll be fashion roadkill.
Well, I've just walked in the door after the world's most relaxing holiday in the world's most beautiful location. Honestly, it's hard to find a more glorious town than Burrawang in the Southern Highlands - bucolic bliss. The trees were in full blossom, the fields were lush and rich green - it was glorious. I must go back again soon.
I've blogged before about my inability to make tea. See, I'm impatient and never, ever let it draw long enough to give me the rich hit I need.
I truly think that the best way to save money is never to see it in the first place. We organise for a chunk of funds to be paid directly off our mortgage, and whenever there's a windfall it goes straight into the home loan. Now I'm setting aside a portion of funds toward our holiday. We've worked out a budget {a realistic once, hence, a scary one} which is so easy to do with the internet. 
Sure, I'm away, in the country, but that doesn't stop me from posting an exquisitely classic pair of pumps does it? {thanks Maxabella for the tips!} These Ferragamo mary janes are so pretty I nearly burst into a spontaneous round of applause when I spied them.
In just a few short hours we'll be hitting the road and driving south for a holiday {sadly, not in a cute-as-a-button Citroen 2cv - my dream car...}. 
I'm playing along with Maxabella today and taking note of all the things I'm grateful for. 
I do love the little mop-headed allium flowers. So fuzzy and sweet. I always plan on planting some around the base of my roses, between my catmint, but have yet to get around to it. This year perhaps?
It might be friday, but I'm hankering for Sunday. On Sunday we're off for five blissful days down south in my favourite town in Australia {besides my own...}. Yep, we're hitting Burrawang in the Southern Highlands. Last year we had the most incredibly relaxing, yet fun, holiday with another family and we've booked the same holiday house again this year. The girls are beside themselves with plans and we adults are looking forward to days spent lazing, and nights spent sipping champagne in front of the fire {surely it'll still be chilly enough for a fire at night - won't it?}.
I'm having a wee bit of a floral crush on ranunculas at the moment. Kind of a cross between peonies and roses, these delicate little blooms come in just the perfect palette of prettiness. I'm itching for a bunch of these to brighten up my bench - particularly as I have a pale blue milk glass vase that'd just make them pop!
The new trailer's released today. You just know I'm going to be linking to it don't you {just did - back there - it's on facebook so I presume you have to log in - but you're on facebook aren't you}? If not, try here. Now, I'm a little bit scared that I'm going to spontaneously combust with anticipation about this film - and the fact that it's in two parts? Eep.
In the dictionary, right there next to the words Elfin Elegance is a picture of Carey Mulligan.
As you know, I've been cutting back on spending to save for our OS trip next year. I'm finding there's quite a few areas I'm happy to cut back on {homebrand flour - that'd be you} but others, I still need to splurge on. Washing powder's one. Now I already save as I only use half the recommended amount and I still get the washing clean {with sports clothes I throw in half a cup of homebrand white vinegar to get the sweaty smell out}. But I need my washing to smell pretty when I take it from the machine and after I remove it from the line. So I was very excited to spy a Surf powder with jasmine when I was out shopping. Hurrah - jasmine! 
I do love a party. I love to attend one, and oh boy, do I love to plan one. I'm planning one now in fact. Every year the Year Five mothers at our school organise a get-together and a farewell to the Year Six mums. Now, apparently, at the last mums get-together a friend and I put up our hands to organise this years {I still have no memory of this, I was probably in the middle of hugging someone and telling them I love them - I get enthusiastic after a few champagnes...}
Well, last week's pantry cooking went really well. I managed to get a number of meals cooked from my pantry: salmon, potato and corn patties {with six leftover in the freezer for another meal}, chicken schnitzel and last night's chicken and chorizo risotto {and my gal's risotto cakes for lunch - leftover risotto mixed with egg and smooshed in a patty pan and studded with cooked chorizo and baked for 15 minutes till crispy}. 
I thought these Versace numbers I found at net-a-porter.com perfectly illustrated my blog post today. See, they're ridiculously high, almost ludicrously so, and yet, they're so perfectly formed walking in them would actually be achievable {it'd just take a little practice...}
How's tricks? I'm uber-excited as we're off to the Farmer's Markets for the first time since the great knee injury of 2010... {which, by the way, is on the mend. I merely stretched my ACL and then tore the living daylights out of the cartilage, so it's on the healing process}. We're going to buy coffee beans, roasting meat, vegies, some fruits and delicious turkish gozleme for lunch. Mmmmmmm. Gozleme....
Hey, Saturday, how's tricks? You are lookin' gooooooooood. After a week of working frantically I'm going to reward myself for my labours with a few hours of doing absolutely NOTHING today. Hubby's off at golf till after lunch and my gal's off to a picnic in the park at 11am. So for a couple of hours in the middle of the day I'm going to go up to the pavillion, loll on the daybed and read. And maybe look at the sky... That's it. I'm not going to:
I was just sitting on my front step, enjoying the sunshine for a few minutes, when I was overcome by a distinctive perfume. I looked up and rejoiced at the abundance of Wisteria blooms that have fringed my front veranda. Aren't they spectacular? They're still not at their peak - maybe in a few days - but boy, are they glorious.
Those Olivers are damned good at having babies aren't they? I didn't even realise that Jools was pregnant until Jamie tweeted "It's a boy" last night. Here they are with the new addition. Now, let me say, I LOVE the names the Olivers give their babies, Poppy Honey Rainbow, Daisy Boo Pamela and Petal Blossom Rainbow are now joined by Buddy Bear Maurice. 
Dita Von Teese just posted this shot on Twitter. Guess whether I'm deeply, madly and truly envious of her wardrobe...
Nothing says spring or summer more than a hot lip colour. I'm swooning over the orange lip at Marc Jacobs, or this more achievable look at Nanette Lepore. If you're not brave enough for the shocking pink or brilliant orange lipstick, a slick of gloss in a vibrant hue can bring a hint of sunshine to your day. Remember to balance it out with some serious black action on those lashes too.
To take my mind off the overwhelming amount of work I have to do today I allowed my mind to venture into thoughts of what I want to do in Paris. Well, I want to visit the Laduree Bar on the Champs Elysee that's for sure. See that bar stool there? I do believe I need to perch on that - macaron in one hand, champagne in the other.
I will always choose a book by its cover, and am normally rewarded when doing so {most recent read: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand = pretty damned fabulous inside and out}. So, imagine the gasps, the whooping, the open-mouthed awe when I spied these Penguin hard cover classics with my little eye. Designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith these books would look fabulous anywhere - and you're doubly rewarded knowing there's a good read betwixt those pretty covers. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm pretty sure Amazon is calling my name, considering that the Aussie dollar's nearly equal with the US again...
Just a quickie this morning as I'm uber-busy and a wee bit concerned I may drown in deadlines... And, as these things go, I also have a sick child home from school. Luckily I'd already packed her lunch so I might just have to pop her lunchbox by the sofa {yes, I had written coach - damn - where's my brain? I shall be needing it today...}
I need Michelle Williams' eyebrows and lip-colour from this W cover. 
Okay, with planning and booking being in place for our OS trip in only 10 months it's time for a serious lock down on finances. I'm looking to find 10 cheap tricks in 10 weeks to help me save so we can splurge in France. Every dollar spent here is 72 euro cents I won't have to spend. So I'm going to get cheap and I'd like to share my tricks with you.
Okay, now this is getting ridiculous. It's the 50th anniversary of Green Eggs and Ham! I know!!!
If you'd asked me a few days ago if I liked muesli, I'd have answered with a resounding, "Hell yeah". However, should you have pressed me to tell which brand of muesli I liked I would have mumbled a sheepish, "Um, I'm still looking..."
Hey, guess what? It's Roald Dahl day today. To celebrate his birthday let's pause for a moment to reflect on a man with a joyous imagination and the ability to capture it in words and share it with the world. For Matilda, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and so many more, Mr Dahl, thank you x
Psssst. You know how I said I wanted to rent a villa in the south of france with blue shutters, lavender, a sweeping drive and a pool. See this? That's our villa - deposit paid and booking taken. Seven nights with two other families {four without the dads while they head off for the Alps in a motor home to follow the Tour}.
Normally I love living in Australia, except when I hear about fabulous collaborations between designer's and affordable stores. Check out these seriously fierce Mary Janes by Christian Siriano for Payless. Payless! Have you ever seen anything like this at your local Payless? Oh, not I!
It's taken me a while to post about the ball, mainly because I spent yesterday, {ahem} recovering. It was quite the night. Firstly, I must say that I'm pretty sure I was on the best-dressed table. All my gal pals looked completely and utterly gorgeous. My fabulous friend Ms G had the most perfectly fingerwaved hairstyle, art deco-esque earrings {$5 from Diva no less} and the most perfect black french lace bolero over her frock. Ms R looked ravishingly beautiful, as always, in a frock with the most perfect neckline the world has ever seen and a smokey eye that would make many a make-up artist weep with envy. Gorgeous friend J looked smoking in a wafty wasabi frock that was made for spinning up a storm on the dance floor. Finally, and I'm saving this one, my glorious friend N won the prize for most covetable footwear. Check out those beauties. Set off with a stunning frock complete with tulle {!} underskirt she flashed those pins with the pride they deserved.
