Flotsam and Jetsam

My heart skips a beat when I see a truly loved home. As far as I'm concerned, the best homes are the ones with soul and personality. Little bits and pieces gathered here and there, the flotsam and jetsam of a life well-lived, and quirky snippets and keepsakes are what elevates a home from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Perfect imperfection.

I don't quite know what to make of this, but I did tell you to expect the unexpected!

 

 

  

all images by Simon Kenny via content-agency

So, what's your favourite piece that makes your house uniquely you? I'd love to know what it is you cherish - maybe you've brought something back from a great holiday, or is it a family treasure handed down from a loved one? If you want to go one further and send me a photo, I'll do a follow-up post featuring your treasures in all their glory. Ooh, this could be fun!

WEDDING DESIGN: PINK AND CHOCOLATE

WEDDING RECEPTION

IN ICE PINK, IVORY AND CHOCOLATE

so if you've followed the blog,you know I was involved in creating a wedding in Dallas at the first of this year.

I promised more photos but have been a little lax at getting them onto the blog.  Well, the time has come....

HERE ARE A FEW OF THE DETAILS - 

THROUGH THE EYES OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER THIS TIME.

(with a couple of extras thrown in...)

Bride and Groom in front of the mirror

decorated with garland, crystals and floral cones

Close up of floral cone

Father and Daughter Wedding Dance

The Cake

Surrounded by crystals, on a silver stand 

A mini hand tied bouquet as the Cake Topper

with amazing four inch ivory pearl-studded ribbon

and a rhinestone 'K' monogram

The Cake Eaters

The Candy Bar in Pink/White/Brown

sprinkled with photos of the bride and groom

The Hot Chocolate Bar

Hot White Chocolate or regular Hot Chocolate

topped with whipped cream

Mashed Potato Bar

Garlic mashed potatoes with sour cream or

mashed sweet potatoes with brown sugar and pecans

The Popcorn Bar

Caramel, White Chocolate and Chocolate Avalanche

The vendor tinted the white chocolate pink to match the reception!

And while we are on the subject of food...

The Family Tree

had wedding photos of family members

placed into glass frames - a keepsake the bride and groom will always cherish

Custom covered lampshades and leaf covered frames

Pearl monograms (the letter 'K' featured prominently at the reception)

I found the adorable polkadot fabric for $1 per yard in LA

Bride's toe shoes, under glass

on a moss base

Centerpiece and Chair covers

Beautiful chandeliers and tin ceiling set the mood

Ready for guests

In the entry, light glass floral arrangement and 

moss covered frames studded with pearls and rhinestones at the guestbook.

Bridesmaids and a lucky groomsman

we created the hand-tied bridesmaid bouquets

The hand-tied bridal bouquet with rhinestone cuff

Moss flower girl basket with rhinestone buckle

ISN'T LOVE WONDERFUL!

WITH WARMEST WISHES TO CIERA and STEELE

and THEIR FAMILIES

Why thank you!

I'm feeling absolutely chuffed this week - I am the lucky recipient of two blog awards! Thanks so much to my sweet blog buddy Kerry at A Tranquil Townhouse, and the lovely Judy at Verandah House for their kind awards - you've made my week! Add these to my award from the gorgeous Amanda at Homely One last week, and I'm one happy little camper!

 

Now, these would have to be some of the most generous and supportive and people ever, and they've made my foray into the blogosphere so much fun. Amanda was one of the very first people to leave a comment for me, and she's been such a sweetheart with her kind words and encouragement. Kerry's beautiful blog is like a breath of fresh air, her wit and personality shine through and she is just so lovely to boot. And I've been a long-time reader of Judy's for quite some time now, initially over at Lily-G and now at Verandah House. Her posts are so stylish and fabulous, and add to that her new adventure with a move to the Byron Bay hinterland, and you have blog heaven! All I can say is make sure you put aside some time to read these fantastic blogs, you'll be so glad you did!

See you soon,

The Perfect Queenslander...Part II

So...remember my recent post on the perfect Queenslander? Well I have a little update I think you might like.

Last year, I was enjoying my usual weekend real estate stalking browsing, when I came across this cottage. As soon as I saw the interior shots, I thought it looked familiar, and sure enough, the same owners had worked their makeover magic on another gem in just the next suburb:

this was an original workers' cottage with a new extension added to the rear 

the new side entrance, linking the original cottage and the new addition

if you look closely you can see some of the owners' amazing art collection

love the dark floorboards and the glass louvre splashback  - what a great idea!

love this!

the outdoor area was one of the home's best features

as soon as I saw this pic, I recognised the bedhead and lampshades straight away - remember this from my previous post?

all images from here

So, now the big question - which do like the best? The original homes are quite different, but the common theme with both renovations is the addition of large modern extension to what was originally a small Queensland colonial. Do you like the idea of combining old and new, with the extension visible from the street? Or would you rather a more subtle approach, with no clue to what's in store? I'd love to hear what you think so leave a comment and we can debate the pros and cons!

Have a great day everyone,