Bamboo

The new bamboo collection from Dinosaur Designs is so fantastic, I am smitten! I love the rings especially, they remind me of bentwood chair seats from my childhood. Gorgeous colours too!

Store Update

The store has been updated with some new gift cards, these yellow and grey spotty cards come with bright yellow envelopes and a little yellow handstitching on the front. These were inspired, I think, by the bright yellow of the autumn leaves and grey skies. I am loving bright yellows and pinks right now.

White Space Wednesday

I picked up these beauties from a little roadside flower stall on the drive back from the mountains. They are without a doubt one of my favourite flowers, and with the weather being so dull and grey lately a lovely bright pick me up.

Nothofagus

I wanted to share some pictures from our trip up the mountain last friday, it really was quite spectacular. Nothofagus is our only native deciduous tree that grows only in a few areas and it has become our annual trip to walk up and see it changing colour against the green/grey mountains.
Fortunately we were up there very early in the morning and on the way down encountered at least 70 other walkers, and where there were small patches of trees further down the mountain an army of photographers trying to get the perfect shot. Lovely to see so many people excited about a tree!

Long Weekend

It's now officially the long weekend (as of 5:00pm) and I'm excited. We have some great plans for tomorrow, our first Dawn Service for Anzac Day, and I have no doubt I will cry but I think that's not such a bad thing. Followed by walking in the mountains to see our only native deciduous tree changing colour, if past years are anything to go on it should be spectacular and refreshing.
I had been working away on some designs last night, and hoped to share today, but it was slow coming to me and my hand wouldn't follow what my head was picturing. Instead I watched a show about Michael Stipe from REM and Mario Batalli which was quite fascinating, talk about living a surreal life!

The Desk

The last thing on my wish list, isn't actually on my list anymore! I have been gazing rather lovingly at this desk in Freedom for over the past year (sorry not the best pic of it) and this week made the decision that it was indeed the one for me and ordered it. It is sleek and stylish but has enough to fit things on, all I need now is a space for it (and that's a whole other story, hopefully some changes are going to happen in the next few months) but for now I am dreaming of my perfect creative space with my perfect desk.

Picture from Real Living Magazine.

If only I Could...

Tonight if time and space allowed it, I would be watching Mr DJ Shadow and his trusty side-kick Cut Chemist. They are playing in Melbourne and I am just a tad sad that I will miss them for what no doubt will be so much fun and some funky tunes to dance to. These two are genius, true musical creators and while I've seen them both separately together is where it really happens.

Carrie Basket

This is a bit of an old one around the blogging world but definitely still very high on my list, perhaps more on the extravagant side as I haven't seen any available in Australia (postage would be a killer!) I think it would more likely be a desk file basket as I have seen them used, rather than on a bike, however if I had a bike like the above then it would work perfectly! The hard decision: green or white?

Happy Monday

Monday has crept up on me once again this week! However I'm excited 'cause it's my birthday week (ok so it's not till sunday, but why not try and extend it a little) also it's only a short work week with ANZAC day on friday, two reasons to be happy.

I thought this week I would post a few things that would be on my imaginary birthday wish list, some simple, some far too extravagant but I think that's the best bit about a wish list, the admiring and ohh-ing and ahh-ing over things, not so much the purchasing! The first thing on my list would have to be these crystal cards by etsy seller Banquet, I love the colours and the geometric design and I think I would just have to frame one!

Autumn Afternoon

Yesterday I got an early minute from work, and decided to make the most of it by talking the long scenic walk home through the parks and autumn trees. After a rather late night the night before seeing Rory McLeod (who was wonderful!) it felt so free to be out in the fresh air when I'd normally be stuck in the office. It's definitely the little things like that that cheer up a busy week!

White Space Wednesday

View the pool here

Memo Books and Cards

The first update for the store this month, finally yay!
I am so pleased the memo books are completed and I love the way the white ink looks on the brown paper. The cards are a little bit retro looking with the grass green ink but that's ok!
I hope to have another update this week but perhaps not until this weekend, I think I might be coming down with something (cold perhaps.....ugh) so tonight I'm going to take it a little easy.
Until tomorrow! xx

Poppytalk Handmade

I am very excited to announce that I am participating in this months Poppytalk Handmade market! Please drop by and have a look sometime there is some fantastic work up this month, I will be updating the store tomorrow and regularly over the next month. Tonight has been mad last minute gocco printing and I am really pleased with the results. I am so pleased to have an opportunity like this and feel quite excited!

This Weekend

This weekend was all about:

drinking tea
crafting
staying in my pyjamas till lunch time
road trip across the state
mysterious mist
wandering markets
buying fresh vegetables
visiting friends

and a lot of listening to music! The soundtrack included:

Somewhere Only We Know - Keane
Sunburn- Muse
Dr Love - Bumblebeez
I like It, I love It - Lyrics Born
Machine Gun - Portishead
Bro Hymn - Pennywise

along with a lot more muse, mars volta, jeff martin and arcade fire!
(see a lot of music!)

Some Polar Bears and Some Gorgeous Jewellery

Boy am I glad it's friday today! It has been a long busy work week, yesterday I travelled to Melbourne for work and sadly did not even get a lunch half-hour for shopping. However I did get some good magazine reading time in on the plane and absolutely fell in love with this ad for Karen Walker Jewellery. I have had my eye on the runaway girl necklace for quite some time now and well, the gorgeous polar bears didn't do much to quash my love.
This weekend is going to be good I know it, lots of crafting (for an exciting event! - more on that to come soon), a road trip and some thrifing! I can't wait. So have a wonderful friday.
Catherine xx

White Space Wednesday

This weeks white space wednesday, a place I really wanted to be at a time I wasn't! Some mornings it's not so easy to leave a cosy bed.

Desperately Searching

I have spent the past two days searching for a very simple pair of navy blue low top chucks, easy, simple, straight forward....or so you would think! But it seems to be impossible, I can get them in green, bright pink (been there before!), and even navy hightops but it's not quite what I am after. Oh well the search continues for another day : )
Hope you are having a great tuesday out there
Catherine
xx

Setting of the Rising Sun

How great is this print from Good Shape Design, I love the yellow and the spots, I have such a thing for black and navy blue spots right now, can't get enough of them!

The title of the print is appropiate too, Setting of the Rising Sun, today we farewelled daylight savings and I seem to have made good use of the extra hour. I have been working away on more memo books and the pile is building, and cooking up a storm making a big lasagne, plum coconut slice for morning tea treats this week, and finally, learning (with the help of my chef brother) to make profiteroles! mmm mmm (........ok I watched while he made)!

Oh and rd if you read this: I LOVE this print, hint hint bithrday coming up!

The View at Dinner...

The view at dinner the other night was pretty amazing and filled with the last rays of autumn sunlight.

Interior Love

This weeks interior love is actually interior book love. I saw this book the other day and spent ages flipping through, each designers home is so uniquely theirs and of course they are all fabulous in their own way! I wish I could show you some pictures of my particular favourites, Vanessa Bruno's house and Diane von Furstenberg's library has made me very envious! So if you see the book around take a peak.

White Space Wednesday.....On a Thursday

Hi there,
well I am only a day late with my white space wednesday photograph! I love this challenge, this was my first attempt and I'm looking forward to being a little more creative with it as the weeks go by.

Tonight it's organise-myself-before-the-weekend-hits-night. So I can sit back and enjoy my time off, I am cleaning, crafting and listening to a rocking new live muse cd. I feel a little cheated, after seeing muse a few years ago at the big day out they certainly have taken it to a whole new level. A little rock and roll is always a good thing to get those jobs done a little faster!

A Few School Elements

So here is a little peek at what I have been working on lately. Making some little hand stitched memo note books, it's a little like being at school again with the brown paper covers and graph paper front and end pages.
I intend to print, with gocco, a design on the cover but I would like to have a larger batch made before I get to that part. In the meantime I find this process quite meditative and am rather enjoying it. I do hope to have them in the store by next week.

Welcome April, Hello Autumn

April is a good month, I like April. It's my birthday month and what's not to like about a birthday. Autumn seems to have arrived also this week, I am not so ready for this yet. Instead of our usual sunny, calm season it's rainy, windy and kinda miserable, not to mention the fact that it is dark when I wake up reminding me of getting ready for early morning flights, except there is no flight to be excited about! So in preparation for the new season I have picked out some must haves.
Red Scarf, Grey Coat, Rabbit Charm Bracelet, Boots - Patent or plain?, Bag, Hand Cream and Tinted Lip Gloss (love the minty flovoured goodness!)