Happiness is....

(All pics courtesy of vintage*pretty*and*pink @ Ebay)

Winning an Ebay auction!

My first Aubusson style rug, I'm so excited!

This little beauty will be going in my daughters room :)

Treasure hunting rocks my world....

It was another glorious day treasure hunting at my local fleas today. Brook and I were up early bright eyed and bushy tailed. What is it with me and white these days?! One week it's globes, the next it's boats and now it's all things white lol.

These little tea light lamps were so sweet and have the lovliest detail on the base. Perfect for some flickering ambient lighting on my bathroom vanity.

I actually already had this darling little czechoslovakian clock from a previous flea market trip a year ago but that one I bought broken with the intention of fixing it. It sat on my bedside table and I never got around to taking it to the watch maker. When I found an identical clock I snapped it up cause this one does work lol. They have such beautiful detailing and I love their delicate shape. Now I have one for my bedside and one to display with my other white collection of quirky objects :)

Another purchase was this little fishing basket complete with rusty fastening hooks. I'm also a sucker for wicker, have I ever mentioned that? lol

I think I'll sit it under my chippy table for awhile so I can sit back and admire it.

My favourite purchase for the day was this cast iron fireplace base (A hearth I think it's called). It's about a metre long and has lovely ornate detail and just the right amount of patina. I plan to flip it upside down, take the tin base off and fit a new piece, attach some brackets and use it as a shelf for art.

Todays purchases cost me less that $50 and I am chuffed!

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend :)

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 :)

A French gem in suburban Sydney...

I'd have to say realestate stalking is an Australian national pastime and with the age of the information super highway it's taken it to a whole new level. I remember as a child it was an occasional sunday ritual to go with my parents and grandparents for a boring drive around the streets admiring all the pretty houses. Now as an adult I LOVE to do just that and I'm also a regular visitor to display home villages just for the fun of it. I too now drag my kids along lol.

I know alot of you do the same as evident in wonderful driveby posts such as this from sweet Melissa of The Inspired Room and This from lovely Joni of Cote de Texas.

I still haven't found the guts to actually photograph my drivebys but I'm sure that confidence will come soon. In the meantime my other stalking passion is via the net.

My latest find is a dream come true. This home is in a lovely old suburb of Sydney with plenty of traditional homes and only 30mins from the city centre. The land blocks are massive, well suited to a large home compared to the itty bitty size blocks of land people purchase for their McMansions today. Stunning mature gardens, large room sizes, minutes from a beautiful reserve, plenty of privacy.

I love the high pitched roof and the long pebble drive to the garage at the back, through the perfect hedging and pergola.

This formal diningroom is absolutely stunning! The only thing I would change are the lights. I'd have to hang a chandy in there. Oh and perhaps a painting over the buffet in front of the mirrored wall. The beautiful arched french doors leading out to the parterre garden are spectacular. I would host the most fabulous dinner parties in this room lol ;)

I also love the way the dining room flows through the arched walkways from the living room and as you can see, still admire the garden from within this room.

I perhaps would have kept the timber floors flowing through the living room instead of the carpet with some exquisite oversized aubusson rugs for warmth and definition. I would make the walls and ceiling a little more ornate and of course another chandelier.


My french settee sofas would be white linen and the ottoman would be tufted. My scatter cushions again would be pretty aubusson tapestries. The fireplace would be stone and I'd have venetian mirror above.


The kitchen has a great layout and lovely size, however I think it's a little overdone. Mine would be more rustic with a lighter island counter top. I'm madly in love with the windows and the french doors leading outside.



Who wouldn't want a bedroom this size? Look at those romantic doors leading out to the stunning ornate juilet balconies! Of course the walls must change to duck egg blue, perhaps a wallpaper feature wall behind the bed and where's the chandelier?! ;)

Another aubusson rug and a sumptuous sofa would look great in here at it would soak up the mass of floor space.

What an immaculate garden! Thats my dream swimming pool right there.

I could never tire from that view. what a perfect space to entertain or simply relax and forget about the world. Who'd need to go on holidays?!

And Finally, wait for it....

A spot of tennis anyone? ;)

As you can see from the floor plan this home is almost too big (well for my family anyway). Ample space yet not ridiculous. OOh I could live VERY happily here lol.




All photo's are from realestate.com

Beach shack love by Jane Coslick...

I was recently introduced to a fabulous blog by the name of Design Editor. While perusing Catherines interesting and inspiring posts I came across some pictures of a beach house designed by Jane Coslick of Savannah, Georgia. I'm sure many of my Amercian blogging pals probably know her well but this was my first introduction and I was inspired!

About Jane - Jane Coslick's Designs and Restorations embraces the cottage lifestyle: open, friendly, and simple. Jane's lovingly restored homes are painted bright colors-- trimmed in crisp white, and are full of funky furnishings, many of which she designs herself. Jane blends the quirky with the quintessential and fills her homes with delights at every turn.

The image above was the one that captured my attention. I completely agree with Catherine in saying my favourite element of this kitchen is the aqua colonial screen door on the pantry- Outstanding!

I absolutely love the light, airy, vintage feel of this home with plenty of white used throughout, the chippy furniture including old shutters and doors used as bedheads, patchwork quilts and the fabulous vintage inspired prints.

The next three images below are from another beach shack also designed by Jane.

I am completely smitten with all the bright colours, textures and patterns Jane uses against the white background. These homes feel so inviting and fun! Perfect for that summer family vacation we all deserve :)

Hello my name is Anna and I am a bookaholic....

Especially when it comes to the French variety, ie: books about all that is French!

Last month I posted a long list of books on my wishlist and I wanted to share my latest additions to my beloved library.

The above book wasn't on my list but when I saw it on sale I HAD to have it. Now to be perfectly honest I'm not the worlds greatest cook nor would I ever claim to be (I'll leave that title for my mum and sisters), and I most likely will never attempt any of the complicated recipes, although they do look positively mouth watering. I fell in love with this book for the stunning photography inside and - well - haha (blush) - the blue cover and intricate spine makes this book a perfect accent to display in my provincial inspired kitchen LOL. It's truly the most beautiful recipe book I've ever seen.

Having said all that if there are any of you gourmet chefs out there looking for the challenge of perfecting some ancient authentic French recipes, this book will become your new bible :)

Another recent purchase was this exquisite book offering an extended look into ways to decorate with quirky and whimiscal flea market finds, heirlooms and general accents.

I love the first paragraph from the preface - Objects play special roles in every home; their presence creates an atmosphere and a state of mind. Objects tell the private story of an interior; they reflect the personalities and sensibilities of the people who live there. A home without objects would be a place without a soul, devoid of meaning or emotion. - So true!

This book I highly recommend to people who love collecting or creating vignettes. It's full of earthy tones and plenty of white and patina. I love it, it's the kind of book you can peruse over and over again and still find amazing sites you hadn't seen before.

Note: The cover above is the American/British version. Aussie's look out for the cover below.

Happiness is....

A French Farmhouse!

image courtesy of country french antiques.