"Grandiflora Celebrations"

One of my favourite books is an absolute gem called "Grandiflora Celebrations" by Saskia Havekes with photography by Andrew Lehmann.

For us Aussies we know and love the much lauded Saskia Havekes of "Grandiflora" who has gone from strength to strength..... based in Sydney but conquering the globe ....

This beautiful tree was constructed by Saskia and her team from Grandiflora for the launch of "Fairfax and Roberts" new collection.  Fairfax and Roberts is Australia's oldest bespoke jeweller established in 1858.

It is absolutely stunning and the concept is ingenious ....... it is pure magic ..... evoking the look of a flowering cherry tree .... "a magic faraway tree" ......

this exquisite setting was for a private birthday dinner for 200 ..... egg-shell pink, white, aubergine and forest green ....

this gorgeous setting was for a garden party in Sydney ..... Saskia's work is extraordinary and leaves me feeling overwhelmed but in a good way!!!!!!  Such talent and such beauty ..... the book is published by Penguin/Lantern and is a visual feast that keeps giving every time you open it ..... create your haven of enchantment through this exquisite book!

photos by me of the book "Grandifora Celebrations" by Saskia Havekes and photographed by Andrew Lehmann

Our Belated Christmas Cheer and Happy New Year!

I know that I am so incredibly, ridiculously late with this post but suffice to say things have been hectic and also unreliable.  I really do need to get a computer genius to overhaul the system!  I nearly didn't post and I certainly didn't get many photos of our table or tree as it was such a busy, crazy time but I hope this will do ....... these are my beautiful Christmas ornaments which are actually made out of silk and I popped them in a pink bowl with delicate strings of silver sitting below the Laurence Amelie artwork .....

I love wrapping Christmas presents and always add as much as I can!!!!!

These decorations I love as well as they pull in the Manuel Canovas Louis sofa so beautifully ......

bottom of the tree ...... Christmas bliss ......

I had fresh peonies for the kitchen on Christmas Day ....

Three little elves !!!!!!!

Alexander thought the occasion called for champagne and we all agreed .......

tasting the plum pudding that I cooked with my mum ..... it took four hours to boil in the cloth ..... YUM!!!! perfect with fresh cream, custard and a dollop of ice-cream .... it is a very old recipe from my mum .....

Happy New Year and a wonderful 2012 to all of you dear friends ..... I feel a great year coming full of joy, surprise, excitement and most importantly of all, love!  I am going to post pictures on my other blog http://wwwcoastal.blogspot.com/ about our holiday in the sun ......

hugs and best wishes

Frances xxxxx

Happy 2012!

Happy 2012!  I am very frustrated as it has taken me 3 tries to post a belated Christmas/New Year post so this will have to do.  Nothing uploads and then when they do they take forever and then suddenly the images are gone.  Never mind I will keep trying!  This was New Year at Hayman Island on the Great Barrier Reef.  Note to self ~ an old Irish saying "I will not be overcome by adversity!"  Cheers and Happy New Year!

I'll Be Home for Christmas!

I am so sorry I have not posted for such a long time ..... I have been quite busy as I know you all have but also a little sick!  It was my birthday last week and I actually was sick on my birthday and for some days afterwards.  Nevermind tomorrow is another day and I am dreaming of this beautiful Dior Christmas scene .... so perfect, golden and tranquil!

I love Christmas time and I especially love the fact that we can all feel like children at least for a little while .....

I am very excited as I found this image which I know was on Anita's blog and I love it as I actually have these very same Christmas decorations on our tree which I will show you soon .....

I definitely will be enjoying some of this as we are gearing up for a week of 30 -35 degree days with late afternoon storms .....

and this would be heavenly ..... after a very big year ....

some champagne truffles .... parfait ....

but most of all I would love this and do love this image so much ... it reminds me of my tufted salon chairs and I feel like I should pull them out down to the beach on an overcast day and listen to classical music and just be happy and grateful which I truly am .... I have Dominic home and Alexander due home tomorrow from America  and Georgiana just bursting with enthusiam making sure that there is nothing in front of the fireplace for Santa's arrival ...... as she told me "Mum he is quite large and there must be plenty of room!"  I will post soon on our Christmas tree and what I have in store for Christmas day including two very large turkeys and a plum pudding that I did with my mum in the traditional cloth and boiled for four hours!  Happy Christmas!!!!!!!

"Laurence Amelie"

Finally, I have the chance to share with you some very exciting acquisitons!

For quite some time I have been looking for original abstract art.  I have never owned original pieces before so I wanted to take my time and find the perfect pieces.

and find the perfect pieces I did!  It was like when I finally found my Louis sofa from Karina Gentinetta ......

my lovely friend, Dee, who is an art gallery curator helped me put them up ... she was so wonderful and so professional .... white gloves and all ....

the works are based on tutus in an abstract form ...

I am privileged to be the caretaker of such beautiful creations ....

so beautiful ....

it has arrived home!

Collette Dinnigan, Peony, Alannah Hill, Melissah and Spring Carnival!

I am so excited as I am finally able to post on my wonderful trip to Melbourne during Spring Carnival ...... I say that with a certain amount of temperance as there are only so many photos blogger will allow so I am being very careful and walking on eggshells .......

This is me relishing the gorgeous Collette Dinnigan store in Melbourne which my beautiful friend, Melissah from http://www.scrapbook-melissah.blogspot.com/ , took me to on my visit to Melbourne .....

We also visited "Peony" and I have to say it was an absolute pleasure to walk in and survey not only the aroma of the luscious smells but the perfectly arranged candles, soaps and parfumerie ..... all so beautifully chosen by Jill Timms of http://www.peonymelbourne.com.au/

The elegance of France and most especially, Paris, invades the senses as you enter the store .... it is uplifting, exciting and romantic ........ anything is possible .... the lovely Agnes who helped us on the day told of the new perfume that was originally "Marie Antoinette's" perfume .... it is by Lubin, Parfumeur 1798, Paris and is called "Black Jade".  This apparantly was the "Queen's Secret Garden"..... and it is so truly beautiful.

Melissah took this photo in front of the gorgeous Collette Dinnigan store ....

This is a sample of the exquisite array of Peony ..... so hard to choose ....

Outside Peony, Melbourne, absolutely exquisite and I feel M.A. the 2nd should definitely have some "Black Jade" .... maybe for Christmas!

Then onto the wonderful, eclectic and romantic feel of Alannah Hill ..... by this time Melissah and I were feeling a little tired and thinking about the evening and then the gorgeous girl from A.H. said "Ladies, would you care for a glass of champagne"? ..... to which we replied "But of course Ma Cherie"........  it is Friday after all!  So glasses of Laurent Perrier were despatched post haste and Melissah and I had the most wonderful afternoon .....

of course we found ourselves ensconced on the most beautiful pink velvet Louis sofa and toasted a most wonderful and special day where two friends meet who have so much in common and get what is important in life ..... family and friendship .....

Thank-you Melissah for your hospitality and giving so much of yourself ...... I had a ball ......

This is Andrew and I on Melbourne Cup Day (actually back in Rockhampton by then!) but thank-you Melbourne and Melissah for an incredible time ........

best wishes

m.a. the 2nd......

Peony Perfection, Crystal Rose Bowl and New Orleans Fried Chicken!

The first peonies of the season are here and so beautiful they are .... I adore peonies as they have a wildness to them ....  a little bit like Catherine Earnshaw from Wuthering Heights ... exactly what Heathcliffe loved about her!  Wild, beautiful, yet soulful and intense!

I bought these and popped them in front of the fireplace and they look so gorgeous......

Then I have to share with you this gorgeous crystal rose bowl which my beautiful mother has given to me ..... it was a gift to her and now she has bestowed on me the privilege of looking after a piece of history ...... I feel so lucky to have received such a gift .....

Then onto a very exciting topic .... food .... New Orleans style food .......

My gorgeous friend, Karina, gave me this amazing recipe for fried chicken ..... Louisiana style baby!  Karina had met my son, Alexander, in Los Angeles when she was there on business ....  we skyped whilst they were having champagne and I so wished I could be there with them ..... Karina new Alex was a "foodie" and she instantly said "You have to have fried chicken wings by the best chef in New Orleans, Austin Leslie....." 

Karina sent me the recipe and I did my best to do the recipe justice .... it was magnificent!  and I never say that about my cooking .... everyone loved it and it was just perfect ... the right amount of seasoning, the right amount of coating on the chicken and best of all the most amazing story of an incredible New Orleans chef, Austin Leslie ....... Austin passed away after Hurricane Katrina, after he had suffered so much trying to survive .... I believe his legacy will live on ... it has even reached us all the way down here in Australia!

Chicken sizzling ......

Austin Leslie's "Fried Chicken" .... New Orleans style but a little bit by Franny from Down Under .... thank-you Karina, dear friend, it was wonderful!!!!! 

Pretty in Pink ~ Fuschia Pink!

Firstly, I have to apologize for my so lack of posting and commenting ... a great deal of the latter has to do with the fact that I cannot comment on many of your beautiful blogs and for that I am so very sorry!  I am working on the technical side with a professional but somehow I don't think that matters in the blogger world!  I know that also many of you have had similar problems ... I will do my best to reply in some way either through email or posting replies on my blog!

This little tutu above is Georgiana's and it is so gorgeous!  The colour is fabulous .... vibrant, exciting and perfect for an 8 year old!  Georgie is still of an age where she loves fairy costumes, ballet costumes and all the beautiful girly things we all love.  I know that there is not much time until that won't be the case.... so I have had a fabulous photographer who I will tell you about in a later post photograph her for photoart.  We had a fabulous day and Georgiana loved it and I cannot wait to see the beautiful creations and memories .....

I also have been quite busy sourcing new products and found this gorgeous lampbase and shade from Magnolia in Brisbane .... the shade is a Manuel Canovas and just perfect .... see how it reflects the colour in the peaches and also the cravat of the rider in the artwork ...

Last Saturday I had an afternoon tea on the verandah for my family .... mum, aunt, cousin, neices, great nephews, great neices and more!  It was a beautiful day and we had lots and lots and lots of cups of tea from big pots and I talked to my beautiful blue-eyed mother as she held her great-grandson, Oliver.  These are the days to cherish .... look at the moment and savour it!  We had old-fashioned sponge-cake my aunty Colleen made, tiny shortbread and kiss biscuits Mum made, baby quiches and many more delectable treats.

This is my gorgeous Mum holding her great grandson, Oliver Francis ... holding a fuschia pink rose ...... taken and styled by second cousin, Brigid .... (we are Irish say no more!!!!)

Which leads to my next wonderful, exciting discovery ....... two amazing artists, one French and one Australian .......

above is the exquisite work of Laurence Amelie recently featured on the cover of Rachel Ashwell's new book ....

and then above the beautiful, arresting work of Australian artist .....Kerri Shipp.  I had the pleasure of meeting Kerri on my trip to Brisbane and her work took my breath away .... I truly do not know how she does this stunning work with such attention to detail and palette ....

Please enjoy and visit these incredibly talented artists sites ...

http://www.driftwood-interiors.blogspot.com/

http://www.laurence-amelie.com/

M.A. the 2nd