Tis the Season!

Firstly, my sincerest apologies for missing in action!  We have had an amazing but incredibly hectic last 2 months and I so want to share with you!  Firstly, Georgie was the lead in her dance school's musical, Annie Jnr.  Oh my goodness ... it was incredible and I know I am a proud Mum but seriously, I was in tears!  I have more pics to show but am in Brisbane at the moment as Dom is taking Georgie to the Taylor Swift concert! 

Georgiana turned 11 on Remembrance Day and I made this cake ..... it looks like a hat confection that the Mad Hatter would wear but Georgie said it tasted yum!

Make a wish!

Sugar in our bed relaxing!  She is our ever constant to turn to when things feel like they are spinning out of control!  One look at her and you just melt!

Last weekend we were in Sydney for a conference for Andrew and I took this picture at Parterre in Woollahra ... stunning!

This beautiful display was in the David Jones window for Christmas!

Christmas is coming!!!!!

I bought some gifts from the Sydney Laduree store ... so beautiful!!!!

How gorgeous is this arrangement in the Trelise Cooper store in Woollahra ... stunning and the mirrored table ....... Perfect!  I am on the countdown to Christmas!  I will be  making the plum pudding in the cloth with my mum on Wednesday and it is exciting but stressful... we do it the in traditional cloth method and boil it for 4 hours over low heat.  It is a receipe of my grandmothers .... plus ginger balls, rum balls and all the fun of a festive season!

Melbourne Cup 2013

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend the 2013 Melbourne Cup in Melbourne in the Emirates and Mumm Champagne tent with Alex.  He had a plus one ticket and he asked me to go which was so lovely!  We had an incredible day and so wonderful to see Gai Waterhouse over the line in first place with Fiorente!

incredible experience and one I will never forget!

Hearing the roar of the crowd as the 2 mile race was run was so exciting!

This is Alex and his gorgeous co-star in Cut Snake, Jess De Gouw .... Alex has hair extensions in as part of his character .... the film is set in the 1970's

The Three Muskateers!

The gorgeous interiors were filled with gold urns full of red roses ....

The entertainment ......

The thrill of my day apart from being with Alex was meeting Allen Leech who plays Tom Branson in Downton Abbey!!!  What a delightful young man and I told him that my girlfriends and I and Andrew are Downton fanatics and that it was such a pleasure to meet him and how we love the series!  What a beautiful, magical day and how blessed I am to have been able to experience it!

xxx M.A. the end

Random Post!

Loving these gorgeous seashell adirondacks ... just ordered some for a client and our poolside .... 

so proud of our boy, Alex, at the world premiere of "Carrie" in Los Angeles .. he plays Billy Nolan the role John Travolta played in the 1976 version.

Alex is now in Melbourne filming "Cut Snake" and is taking me to the Melbourne Cup in the Emirates Tent!!!!!  So excited!  He then goes to Sydney to film his supporting role in "Unbroken" with Angelina Jolie ... well done Alex!  He plays the older brother to the main character.... 

just a beautiful setting ....

and here is me riding off into the distance on this gorgeous white horse!!!! 

Told you it was random!

xxxM.A. the 2nd

Come with me on a journey .... behind the veil and the gauze 

because maybe .... all that glitters is really gold ......

capturing moments in time as the bubbles flow ....

or the caress of glitter on a dew soft cheek ...

creates for us a glimpse of perfection ...

the confection says all that glitters .... is ...

gold ... so don't walk by ....

because this is divine .....

so beautiful, precious and delicate ... and something we all can enjoy ...

but most important of all ....

is to remember that as these precious metals dazzle us ....

there is a more important element is the world around us ...

the element of kindness .... a precious commodity indeed ...

so let us gallop away on our steed to beautiful faraway places .....

and have some fun and laughter and most of all kindness because .... 

as the sign says "We're All Mad Here"!!! 

Enjoy your weekend everyone and be kind and a little bit mad because that is what life is all about!!! And a little bit of glitter as well!!

xxxx M.A. the 2nd

all images via pinterest

Louis 16th Makeover and a 21st!

Hello everyone and happy Friday!!!! I love Friday!  I just want to share this beautiful transformation of these Louis 16th style antique chairs circa 1890's with you!  I have been working on this project for a long time and it has been a labour of love with many hiccups along the way.  My wonderful client, Karin, has been so patient and is so happy and delighted with the results!  At the beginning these chairs looked like they were falling apart!  That is when I turned to my very good friend and artist extradordinaire, Dee Muir, to help me.  Dee has a Bachelor of Fine Art and is an artist and designer in her own right and is head of her own art gallery.  When I showed Dee these chairs I am sure she thought I was nuts but she saw the beauty that was within!

I said that I had a vision for these chairs to breathe life into them again and be a feature in this dining room with the mirrored antiqued dining table.  I wanted them to be elegant, edgy but with a nod to their history.  My client's home is a modern style so we had to bring these chairs into this era.  My client loves antiques and art but it had to work within the contemporary home.

We still have artwork and mirrors to put up but I couldn't hold back any longer!  These chairs are stunning and Dee has created a work of art!

close up of the chandelier and below the Duralee fabric I used on the chairs with the beautiful studding nail head trim 

The rug is Designers Guild and is so gorgeous ... Dee hand painted every one of these chairs starting from cleaning, sanding, undercoating, buffing and final coats .... it took hours and hours of work and she was incredible.  The 18 carot gold leaf was the piece de resistance!  Dee also slightly distressed certain areas of the chair and then pulled through the original colour of the chairs in the pale green (they were a dark, dark green before!)

I am so happy with everything and love the mirrored antique top of the dining room table!

Lisa Vanderpump's wine bottle from Villa Blanca on the table!  My client has wonderful taste and a fabulous antique silver collection!

Look at this!  Stunning!  Congratulations Dee and thank-you so much for all your hard work and talent!

xxx

I thought I would just show some quick pictures from Dominic's 21st last Friday!  It was a Great Gatsby theme and Dom had a wonderful night!  Such a wonderful time to celebrate and be together!  Happy Birthday Dominic!  We love you!

We had the party at a restaurant in Brisbane called "Spring" and it was fantastic.  The bar set up with our champagne and wine ... so happy with the flower arrangements which were a combination of stocks, tulips and lily of the valley!

The champagne tower which was so much fun!  More pictures to follow!!!!

Georgie and Mummy greeting the birthday boy!

Proud parents!

Alex and Georgiana ...... Alex arrived from LA just the day before!

The day after opening presents!!!! Happy Birthday Dominic!

xxxxx