silk pretties and prairie table cloths!

hi all,
thankyou sooo much for all of your wishes and excitement re. my trip to Paris! I am so excited i can still not believe it, and nervous about leaving my little boy! : (    but he will survive i know and everyone will take good care of him.

Have been busy this week getting the house into order!

a little creative time though!

 

I made another wall hanging; this time from silk... french blue silk dupion and an ivory  raw silk...

 

 

I rubbed the image once again with orange oil; (image from the graphics fairy) and touched it up with gold!

 

really love it! I am going to make some more when i get back from my holiday i think!

 

 

I used some of the vinatge wallpaper to back a picture frame to use as a  vision board.  just adding little bits and pieces as i go along!

 

I also had time to pop into a local thrift store and found a floral bed cover which i new could have a new lease of life; but in a different colour... different use altogether!

 

 

It was a pale, yucky cream colour, but  I loved the ruffles and I thought with a little diy, the colour could be improved! I used a sparing amount of black rit dye... (very little as I only wanted a grey tint) and it went from cream  to a lovely bluish grey

 

 

Originally i was going to put a blue wash over that too, but now that it has dried, I dont know if it needs it... can you imagine the yellowing shade it once was?!

 

some pretty roses from my garden

 

A very busy few days trying to get things arranged for not being here..

 

And school holidays for my little (big) boys!!!

 

Is it school holiday time where you are?

 

Till next time!

 

Laura xxx

 

 linking to;

 

all booked!

Hi, happy weekend to everyone!

just recieved an email or two from my husband this morning with all our flight and hotel bookings!

Could not be more excited!!!

I had a look at the website of the hotel in Paris and was very pleasantly surprised!  Its not the kind of place i was expecting him to book to be honest!! but in a good way! a GREAT way in fact!!

Its the St James hotel.
have a look!

I excitedly read a little bit of the story behind the hotel, and didnt digest too much but apparently it is built on the site where hot air balloons used to take off from and so there is a little bit of a theme throughout the hotel...  Look at these beautiful cabanas in the gardens!!!

 

Some of the bedrooms, very tastefully decorated I might add!

 

 

So I am leaving next sunday (yippee) and we will probably be gone for 8/9 days.  Half of the time in paris and the other half driving around the countryside!

 

Thankyou all for your awesome tips!  They have really helped me to plan things, its great to get the opinions of people who have been there before!!!

 

Hope you are all having a truly wonderful weekend!!

Laura xx

exciting things!!

hi everyone!

Yesterday was a great day!

It started out with getting my chandeliers hung!!!

The first one in the lounge room (which is too messy to take pics of; think of ps games, wires, cables, xbox controllers etc!!) 

 

The electricians came nice and early and didnt take too long!

 

 

The same chandelier in the dining room...  I havent yet attached all of the crystals; its going to take a while!

 

 

How pretty is the pink RA fabric?  going to make a table runner with it i think; was just testing it out!

 

 

Still loving my hanging!!

 

 

Then I had a quick trip (actually, nope, it wasnt that quick! always too much to see!) at the flower markets.. Was adoring these totally Lovely David Austen Roses; a bargain at on $35 dollars a bunch (joking!!!) 

 

 

but they are soooo lovely!

 

made a pretty moss covered wreath for customer 

 

had a little leftover to sprinkle around the house!

 

Also found these gorgeous rhinestone charms which i wrapped around a candle  with  a little scrap fabric... Glasshouse coconut and lime - my favourite!! smells so good you could eat it!

 

My poor cat Weetbix... had a bit of a scratch with the naughty cat from up the street!!!

 

 

I was doing some more flowers last night and got so excited  as I am sure no one 'normally' would!  at having purchased the best ever bunch of Camelia leaves!!!

 

When I recieved a message from my lovely husband... he is currently in Turkey working and due to finish on the weekend... He wants me (and has been secretly arranging) to fly to France when his job is finished and meet him there; in Paris!! 

 

I cannot say how excited i was!  It has always been my dream and it should be next week!  Would looove any tips or ideas of the most gorgeous places to visit/see!

 

My list so far;  eiffel tower (of course- at night?)

Versaille palace

Moulin Rouge

Louvre

Laduree

Latin quarter jazz place (any suggestions?)

Seine river cruise has been recommended by a few people i know

Hotel has been booked but I would have loved George V, dont think that is what was booked but is it possible to visit for afternoon tea?

 

We are also going to drive out of paris for a few days... I really cannot wait! Oh, and the flea markets!!  hope to be seeing a few of those!!!!

 

hope you are all having a fabulous day !!!

Laura xxx

 

 

flowers, china and pretty things

Hello , happy wednesday!!!

just sharing some flowers before they are spent! I only bought this stock yesterday but doesnt like our heat here unfortunately!!

 I have so many flowers around the home right now,  a lot i have put away to keep cool for college tomorrow..

This is a little wall hanging I made earlier... I showed the crown in a previous post that i had made with a print and orange oil transfer.. Lovely Frances from http://beautifulinteriorsand18thcenturystyle.blogspot.com.au/

suggested that I perhaps frame it!... not sure what type of frame would suit best, i improvised!

Just using some fabric I dyed on the weekend and some dowelling, a little silk and some ballet shoe ribbon!

 

 

Put out some of my grannys china..

  and trying to perk up the pretty dahlias which were also bought yesterday but looked terrible when i woke up and found them this morning...

 

 

a colder climate suits flowers so much more.. which is a pity!! I would so loooove lilacs, camelias, and peonys.  We can get them at certain times of the year but they will only last a day on average!

 

 

We get stock in many colours, but the lilac is my favourite!

 

Have not had time to sand and finish the chest! a crazy week its been with my little cat Weetbix being ill, my son seb having a chest infection and my brother breaking his arm.. lots of doctor and vet visits, and a whole lot of driving around!!!

 

 

Perhaps on the weekend I might get to finish it! 

I have been inspired to make some more wall hangings for some friends/babies!

 

 

I was extremely honoured the other day to have my crown pillow feature on

The Graphics Fairy !!  - Brag Monday!!!

 

I was so very surprised!!! Karen is so very generous.. she must put in so much time and effort to share so much !!

 

if you want to have a look, just click;here

 

For those who wanted to know, i used Lesley Riley TAP Artist Transfer Paper!

 

What a very lovely lady!!

 

Have to go and do some flower prep now and start on the dinner!

thankyou for stopping by!

xlaura xx

friends are like flowers....

Hi all,

have not been near my laptop for a few days, the end of the week is always kinda busy here!  And with my husband away, and our family desktop broken, my computer is always being used by the kids!

Anyway, thought i would show you a few things i have been making.. some for friends, and some home projects too!

 

The pretty pillow is for a dear lady! Laurie from heavens walk.. i am sure you all know her well!!!

 

It didnt fit in my insert too well, but i thought i would show her a pic before i send it off...

 

What do you think of the colour Laurie?   its too difficult to tell; trying shots in different light, but the one below that i havent adjusted the brightness is closer to the Actual shade!!!

 

 

I have been playing around with fabric dyes over the weekend... this pillow cover was originally a cream fabric that i washed in a very light petal pink...

 

 

The throw is for a friend who just had a little baby girl; I actually bought the coral fleece, its really, really soft and gorgeous!

 

I made another also using some RA fabrics; the pale blue stripe... in the background...

 

 

Friends are like flowers in the garden of life! so true!!! adore the plate!

 

I am fortunate to have some wonderful, special friends all accross the globe! so grateful!

 

 

Searching for inspiration.... and enjoying the play of light in my bedroom on the fabrics and ruffles!

 

 

Definently going to try and grow some sweetpeas.  We can purchase some at the wholesaler market, but V. expensive for a teeeeny tiny bunch!

 

Some more RA fabrics and a crown i rubbed onto cotton with orange oil... didnt turn out too well! but looks pretty in the light here!

 

My weekend project!  I got this for half price ... painted a silvery colour... so far have only gotten the undercoat on!

 

Love the mouldings and crystal knobs! going to store napkins, tablecloths in here...

 

Are you all enjoying a great weekend? 

 

Taking my youngest off to a bday party now! Strange time! but never mind!

 

Lots of love!

Laura xxx

pretty pillow

Hello, hope everyone had a great weekend!

Mine was crazy busy with lots of visiting, eating and chocolate! Oh my goodness, way too much chocolate!!!

I managed to whip up a little pillow however!  The local fabric/craft store had 40per cent off all fabrics, so I stocked up on my current faves; velvet, silk and rachel ashwell prints!

I used the velvet and some silk dupion to make this;

 

(i still have my table dressed from easter sunday!! pretty pears!)

 

obviously, the design was inspired by this lovely rachel ashwell cushion...

 

I did think of using a red or a pink but really wanted to try the turquoise first.  I got the crown graphic from the Graphics Fairy and used a special art transfer paper.  Its not the normal tshirt transfer stuff... it gives a much better finish, not so glossy and it wont crack and peel.  I can get the name of it if anyone is interested....

 

 

Love how everything looks like its floating on the ghost chairs!

 

 

I didnt think the transfer would work onto velvet, but it worked a treat in the end.

 

the pillow i used is slightly too long so it looks overstuffed! will have to get to ikea as they do feather cushion inserts quite cheap and feel great inside velvet pillow covers!

 

My fabric store has 40per cent off for the rest of today also, so I am going to get some sheeting and more velvet i think!!!

 

have a fabulous monday everyone!!!

Laura xx