"Here's one we prepared earlier"

Well it is not quite the Laduree confection but we gave it a good go! These cupcakes are done with dusted icing sugar and a sugared violet on top. The lilac icing on the other cupcakes ended up a little darker but still quite pretty. I put them with one of my Laduree boxes.

Previous Laduree image from Laduree website.

"Lovely Lilac"

I was just thinking about Paris and the gorgeous Laduree shops.....It is Sunday and Andrew has gone to play golf and Georgiana and I are going to have a girls afternoon. This image of a Laduree confection has inspired us and we are going to attempt lilac icing on cupcakes. Andrew took Georgie to the bike path this morning and I was reading about all the snow in New York. Pictures showed images of the Brooklyn Bridge and Madison Avenue virtually deserted. Stay safe everyone over there!

I will post some pics this afternoon if the baking and decorating in the kitchen prove successful.

Back to Laduree......apparently this French icon began in 1862 with a gentlemen called Louis Laduree. What a beautiful institution he created! When we were in Paris I stuffed as many of the scented candles and macaroons and teasets into my luggage as possible ~ no wonder we had to pay excess baggage! Unfortunately, parts of the teaset broke but it is still beautiful. Have a great day!

Have a beautiful week-end!

Wishing you all a beautiful week-end. Georgiana and I have decided to hug the flowers. Enjoy!

Lime and Cocoa!

Am doing a job for a client and I am going to use this beautiful cocoa print fabric from Designers Guild. Offsetting it with the striking lime green silk and cocoa and lime orsetti trims will be cool and elegant.

"Maddalena"

Designers Guild "Maddalena" ~ I used this fabric for a client's bedroom and she was so happy with the result. I love this fabric with the white and raspberry painterly flowers on the silvery stone background and then with this black ribboning through it is a wonderful contrast. This fabric is a silk and we interlined it with bumpf so it would sit fuller and balloon out a little. The walls are painted in a very dark steel grey which I think is a perfect backdrop for the drapes. We just have to change the bed probably by painting it!

"Cooloola"

These images are for Marie from Sweden ~ I hope you enjoy! This is the front of our home "Cooloola". It dates back to approximately circa 1897 and it is in the vernacular of colonial style. I love that word "vernacular" ~ it sounds so elegant! Colonial style was very prominant in Australian history particularly in Queensland. The symmetry is apparant and the two wings have beautiful Georgian style sash windows to the floor on the original pulley system. These homes were built to allow for perfect ventilation and flow through to alleviate the extreme heat in summer. Just pop around the back if you are hot and have a swim in the lagoon pool. I will just whip together an ice cold cocktail!

Salon Chairs!

I just wanted to share these images ~ my salon chairs have arrived! The buttoning is fantastic and just popped a little DG pale pink cushion on the top. Looks like coconut ice! Gorgeous Geargiana decided she wanted to be in the photo after school. How beautiful is that smile. Enjoy!

This is my Louis chair covered in the Carolyn Quartermaine French script ~ gold on pink Irish linen. I also have this fabric as drapes for my studio. I am looking for another Louis chair and tabouret to upholster in another one of the script fabrics. I have found also a gorgeous double seater Louis sofa at Miguelle Mireilles antiques so am going to try and secure it as well. It actually is an original late 18th century piece which it would be such a privilege to own. Will keep you posted!

Before Renovations

This is my studio before renovations ~ I am very excited about the parrot wallpaper and trimming the chandelier. The marble bench is such a great place to lay things out and get a feel for an interior. I have just told Sophie that we are hanging the wallpaper so that should be interesting!

Love the Marie Antoinette artwork ~ she is definitely going on the wall after the gyprockers and painters finish!

Roof Required?

I have been tossing up whether to put a roof on our back deck. Whilst we love having the openess of the deck at night and it is beautiful bbqing under the starry skies we do have a problem in summer in that the deck faces due west and being in Queensland we fry!
This means the airconditioning in the kitchen is not as efficient due to the heat hitting the glass as we have many glass French doors opening onto the deck. Also, in the middle of the day and up until about 6pm the area is virtually unusable. So, consequently I think the best compromise would be to put a half-deck so that the back of it is covered and the canti-levered section over the pool is open. I think the roof would be in the colonial style with four sides coming to a peak in the centre. The roof would be lined with vj and a very beautiful black wrought iron chandelier hung in the middle. I also think it would be wise to line the sides with the gorgeous plantation shutters so that we could sit out there in any weather and particularly when we get our fabulous summer thunderstorms!

Nina Campbell's Parrots!

I am going to use this gorgeous wallpaper by Nina Campbell called "Perroquet" for two of my walls in my studio. I am currently renovating it and am going to use it in conjunction with Carolyn Quartermaine French script fabric. I have a beautiuf big cararra marble island bench where I work from and see clients and the parrots will be such a delightful and quirky statement. They are so beautiful and the colours look like they have been hand painted.
So perfect for our Queensland climate as I usually have parrots screeching outside my window!
I also have a chandelier in the middle of the room which I am going to edge with Designers Guild trim.
I will keep undated and post photos when it is finally done!

Another one of the cupcakes ~ I think a bit better picture.

Cupcakes!

Georgiana and I made cupcakes yesterday afternoon and had fun decorating them ~ as always. I used the Donna Hay vanilla cream recipe and it is so light perfect for little cakes. Georgie and I wished we could invite Marie Antoinette and Marie Therese for tea or the Duchess of Devonshire and Charlotte, Harriet and Little G! Maybe I might set the table with my Limoges and see what happens! Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

My gorgeous Valentine's Day flowers! A combination of roses, lilies and Irish bell ~ so beautiful. Thank-you Andrew! Now that's a Valentine's bouquet. Have borrowed Georgiana's Carolyn Quartermaine cushions for the drawing room! Am cooking roast tonight for all of us ~ a beautiful family dinner ~ now I think St. Valentine would have liked that.

Georgiana's Bed!

Georgiana's bed is in the style of Louis 15th. It is painted a white wash and upholstered in a Designers Guild pink slub silk. The gorgeous cushion is one of Carolyn Quartermaine's fabrics in the fruity pink taffeta with gold French script ~ very 18th century.

Little Girl with Macaroons!

A lovely friend of mine sent me this gorgeous picture of a little girl with macaroons! She so reminded me of my own daughter and our time we had in France and particularly at Laduree with the macaroons. Thank-you Tonya ~ it is exquisite and just the tonic for a Monday. We will have macaroons and it will be majestic! Tonya the Carolyn Quartermaine cushions are on the way! Thank-you for your beautiful email!

Gordon Ramsay "Au Trianon"

Just feeling nostalgic ~ my neice and nephews and my daughter enjoying dinner at Gordon Ramsay's "Au Trianon" at Versailles. Such a special time and such a beautiful restaurant.