Happy Mother's Day!

Beautiful Mother's Day flowers from my beautiful family ....

Beautiful blooms from the garden I collected ....

including a beautiful bunch of rosemary and one stem of lavender .....

then Georgiana and I baked cupcakes to take to my mum for Mother's Day .....

Happy Mother's Day .....

best wishes

M.A. the 2nd ....

My Studio and New Mood Board!

I just wanted to share with you some pictures of my studio renovations which have been a long time coming .... these are not all of them and it is still not completely finished so this is just a taste!

I have used a beautiful, striking Designer's Guild wallpaper from their new collection on my feature wall ...

Then I have been working on a design for a client for a dining/drawing room and the brief was for French style with a neutral palette and pops of colour.  I am using a beautiful taupe linen which has a silvery finish to it so it is quite formal which is perfect for the tufted sofa.  The salon chairs are also tufted but in a white linen.  The scatter cushions are going to be done in the beautiful silk DG fabric above with trim and then a couple in the pink on the salon chairs .....

I would also like to do the Louis dining chairs in the same fabric as the sofa but with the pink on the back of the medallion ......

The Louis table will have a polished timber parquet top not painted, however, the legs will be done in an antique white ...

Just another of the wallpaper and mirror that I have yet to put up on the wall .....

Beautiful Bathrooms!

Just some gorgeous bathrooms from Architectural Digest for a Friday .... this one by Christopher Noto ... love the drapes ...

This is by Thomas Pheasant ... absolutely adore the oval vaulted ceiling, mosaic marble tiles and flowing free form ....

This stunning bathroom is by Marjorie Shushan and it is breathtaking .... look at the detailed mosaic floor, marble bath and the French doors with its own balcony ....  perfect!  I wonder if Kate's bathroom is like this at the Goring Hotel as she readies for her big day.  Bring on the royal horse-drawn carriage and fairytale wedding! 

Have a wonderful Friday!

best wishes

M.A. the 2nd!

images http://www.architecturaldigest.com/

Easter Cakes, Stunning Flowers and Antiques!

I hope you all had a beautiful Easter ..... Georgiana and I baked these cupcakes for Easter and it was great fun to decorate them. 

I absolutely love the one in the middle with the blue egg ....

These gorgeous flower arrangements were in the foyer of our hotel in Brisbane last week .... stunning!

When I was in Brisbane I also went antique hunting and I found this amazing Louis the 16th canape .... I have not seen one like it and in such good condition ....  I have been looking at pieces for clients but oh dear, I tend to fall in love with special pieces and their magic and their story .....

and it wouldn't be a post from me without our Marie Antoinette  fix ......

look at that tray of divine pastries!

I also came across this vase which is one of a pair .... absolutely gorgeous colourings

I hope you all have had a peaceful, restful Easter and enjoyed precious time with your family and friends ..... we certainly did although Andrew was on call and Alex is away filming but we still had a wonderful special time ..... Georgiana had two Easter Egg hunts so she was very happy!
my best wishes always
M.A. the 2nd

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANITA!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANITA!

I made this petite cake for you!

I hope you have a beautiful day as you are such a special person .....

and we set the table to celebrate ....

so we toast your birthday ....

Blow out your candle and enjoy this celebration in your honour!

Margaret's Sage & Ham Stuffed Chicken Breast!

I am just posting the recipe for the chicken fillets I did ... Tina at The Enchanted Home loved it so I thought I would post for everyone and I have to say it is such a great and easy recipe and smells divine!  This recipe is from a great Australian icon of cooking .... a lovely lady who we have known for years .... Margaret Fulton!  I have edited a little bit because I didn't have everything in the pantry!!!! (plus I always buy organic chicken if I can)

Ingredients ~
4 small chicken breast fillets (organic if possible 800gms)
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tbs chopped sage
quarter cup Dijon mustard
2 slices prosciutto
60gm butter (Margaret specified unsalted but I am sorry I went with the full salt)
125ml chicken stock
half cup of milk
4 washed potatoes (or more if you like a lot of potato mash)
200gm green fresh beans

Method~

Pre-heat oven to 160 C fan-forced.  Place chicken fillets open (skinned-down) butterfly-style on a board and place a plastic wrap over each fillet and gently pound to as thin as possible without breaking flesh.

In a small bowl mix garlic and sage.  Smear mustard on inside of fillet.  Top each with prosciutto and spoon garlic mixture over.  Roll the long edge of each fillet over and secure with string (I didn't do this as I felt the fillets just sat there)

In a baking dish melt 30gm butter on medium heat.  Add the chicken rolls and cook for 3-4 mins.  I cooked mine for more like 7 mins or until browned.  Pour over chicken stock and bake for 10 mins until juices run clear.  

Remove from oven, cover with foil and set aside for 5 mins to rest.  Slice each roll into 2cm slices and arrange on heated dinner plates, spooning juices over.

Potatoes can be done earlier ~  Peel and slice (thick) and add to a pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt.  When soft, drain and allow to cool.  Then mash adding milk, butter, salt and chives if you would like.   We like our mash very soft so it does require a lot of butter and milk.  Good for your bones!  If you want to use low fat fat milk and butter that is fine as well! 

Fresh green beans .... easy just wash and steam!

I hope you enjoy!

Congratulations Karina!

Congratulations Karina Gentinetta for her feature article in the New York Times!!!!!!

Karina with her two beautiful children.... in their gorgeous kitchen .... one of the pictures from the NYT article ....

Karina and AJ in their kitchen ... look at the stunning table and unique seating .... love the chairs and the stool bench!

This is one of my favourite shots ... I adore the lemons, or they may be apples, on the antique silver platter with the tiny feet and then look at the gorgeous Louis chair with original upholstery ....

Look at the artwork that Karina has done herself .... absolutely stunning .... it has a Matisse feel to me ...

This is perhaps my favourite picture ... showcasing a beautiful drawing room filled with antiques and yet so welcoming and so beautiful ... the tub barrel chairs you see here are all done by Karina and they are stunning .... I have my eye on them!

and then here is the lovely lady herself .... what an achievement ... the article is so beautiful and inspiring to read because it is raw and open and lets you into the lives of two remarkable people who fought through the horror of Hurricane Katrina ...

go to http://www.newyorktimes.com/

Karina and Andrew .... I applaud you and am so proud!

Karina's sites to view are~ http://www.disegnokarinagentinetta.1stdibs.com/

http://www.karinagentinetta.blogspot.com/

Life is Magnifique!

Hello from Brisbane!  I have come for some work and some play as Georgiana is on school holidays and we wanted to catch up with Dominic .....

we are staying at the Sofitel and it is definitely "Magnifique".

It is so gorgeous ... they greet you at the door with "Bonjour"!  It is so special .....

Then of course the cupcakes from Vanilla Pod .... parfait...

but most of all .... I have been lucky enough to acquire these exquisite glasses from Wine Emporium .... they are from the house of Perrier Jouet ... gorgeous hand-painted glasses with the anemone ....

I hope you enjoy because I certainly am .....

tomorrow I want to bring you Karina Gentinetta's article in the New York Times ... stay posted ....

A Mixed-up Post!

This is definitely a mixed-up post!  However, I think that is okay now and then!  The picture above I took last night as a great friend of mine, Tonya, popped over with a beautiful gift for me and I felt we should have some bubbles ......

The champagne house of "G.H. Mumm"

and I did some canapes ... with blue brie, grapes and water crackers .... the tray I serve on is an antique with an original crown stamp ....

I also found this beautiful bunch of wild roses for just $12.00 which is very exciting as I really love field roses .... how adorable is my angel ....

Then earlier in the week I bought some tulips which are quite rare here ....

 

and I made a new recipe for dinner with chicken fillets, sage, proscuitto, dijon mustard and garlic baked in the oven and served with a creamy mash potato and green beans ..... 

I was so happy ... it tasted divine .... and I never say that about my cooking!  Not a great photo but I thought I would post it anyway ... if you would like the recipe just let me know .... the aroma when it is baking in the oven is incredible!

So I wish you all a beautiful week-end and I am going to post the most amazing story tomorrow .... stay posted!!!!!!

hugs M.A. the 2nd!

Icing Sugar and Bamboo!

I just want to introduce you to the latest edition to the Russell family .....

"Icing Sugar" Sugar for short!

Sugar is 16 weeks old and is half Ragdoll and half Persian and 100% sweet as sugar!!!!  For a long time Georgiana has wanted a kitten and after our second son, Dominic went to University we thought it was time ... and she is absolutely beautiful!!!!

Then I also wanted to show you these two new faux bamboo chairs I have had custom painted and upholstered and I am so happy with the results ... I wanted to go for a pale Tiffany blue and that is exactly what they are ....upholstered in a beautiful Designer's Guild fabric ...

They are a cross between Tiffany Blue and a Duck-Egg Blue in a matt finish ....

and then I found these amazing miniature pears at the supermarket and I thought how perfect ..... next time I buy them I am going to crystallize them with sugar as they are so perfect!!  Have a lovely Sunday night and I am off to make a stir-fry organic chicken with cashews, shallots, fresh peas with a honey and soy reduction sauce .... I hope it works!!!!