Drum Roll Please ~ "The Unveiling of my new Blog Look by Shari at Little Blue Deer!"

You are invited to help me celebrate so please play the music and enjoy!

There must always be champagne especially pink .....

Put on your prettiest dress .......

and highest of heels .....

and let the balloons fly high ....

I have been blogging since about 2009 ...... and I have always wanted to make it a special time ... a time to meet like-minded souls all over the world ..... the thing is we girls in particular yearn for that connection .... (quick have a sip of champagne and a bite of one of these delicate morsels) .... now where was I ... oh yes I love finding people who love what I love, who get what it is like to go weak at the knees when seeing buckets full of roses or gorgeous antiques .... how we feel in awe when walking through historical sites and wonder what has gone before ...... how excited we get when you see a delicate colour or a beautiful fabric ... and think how talented is the creator ..... a love of beauty in this world is a good thing! ...... In the movie Dead Poet's Society .... Oh Captain My Captain said "and medicine, law, business engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."    

Shari at Little Blue Deer has helped me take my blog to the next level and I cannot tell you all how talented and patient she has been..... I knew what I wanted (sort of) but loved so many things.  I gave Shari a list of what I love like crowns, pink and gold, chandeliers, Laduree and said that I wanted a blog that was reflective of me, my loves and my work. She created the gorgeous toile header and the cutest pink buttons ever (ok yes another sip and perhaps one with a strawberry in next time ..... I love strawberries and rose petals in champagne ... don't you!)  Shari was truly amazing to work with and I am so thankful and grateful to her .... 

These are some of Shari's other gorgeous designs .....

"Michael Devine"

Tina's beautiful and elegant "The Enchanted Home"

and "My Blue Whimsy" just to name a few of the beautiful pieces in her extensive portfolio!  Go visit Shari at www.littlebluedeer.com

.......... she will create your dream!

I hope you are enjoying the music and you must try one of these delectable Charbonnel et Walker champagne truffles ..... This is one of the images that inspired me and Shari captured it perfectly!!!

.....now let me offer you another glass of champagne and perhaps a macaron.....

ahhh here are the rose petals ..... 

and this stunning confection .... I am sure Paris Pastry could whip one of these up .... look at the gold leaf .... I know I don't think I could cut it either .....

so we could wander at leisure outside to sit at our party table and talk and laugh and share until the sun goes down ..... then as the night creeps in we can celebrate with ...... fireworks!!!!!! Thank-you Shari so much and thank-you dear friends who make it so much fun to share the world's beauty!!!!!  Press play and let's party!!!

Oh but before we go outside check that your shoes are looking their best as there will be dancing .... and hopefully Anita will be able to play her gorgeous harp after we have danced to Katy Perry ....... ignite the light and let it shine ... 

  we can stay here and have coffee and croissants in the morning watching the sun come up!!!

my best wishes always 

M.A. the 2nd 

xxxxx

images ~ www.pinterest.com

www.youtube.com

www.littlebluedeer.com

Happy Monday everyone!  I thought for the first day of the week I would just share with you the new Manuel Canovas collection ... I have just ordered it for the studio and can't wait to use it ... 

I really fell in love with the textures and strong colours in purple, lavender and lilac .... 

This French design house so know how to produce and design textiles and their promotional imagery is always stunning ....

I also found this interior of a restaurant but can't find where it is from .... does anyone know?  Love those doorman style chairs .... so elegant and tufting on the bench seating ... 

This is my little canape that I upholstered in Manuel Canovas last year in the toile collection ... I used studding and think it works well .... 

Now I know it is a bit early to think of sweet dreams but isn't this bed divine!  It is upholstered in a selection of Designers Guild and really suits the French Corbeille style.  The white is a perfect backdrop for these elegant fabrics ... particularly the cut velvet ....  

This for a little girls's room is so fun and fresh .... I really like the idea of mixing up the fabrics too and the painted floor ... 

I am more of a white bedlinen person but this does look magnificent .... what do you prefer ..... 

ok so now everyone is yawning and tired so go and make a lovely cup of tea or perhaps a hot chocolate, grab your favourite Charbonnel et Walker chocolates and head to dream land!!!!  Have a wonderful week and I will be back with some projects I have been working on recently!  Oh I have also finally joined pinterest, instagram and twitter!!!! 

 best wishes xxxx

PS totally addicted to Pinterest ~ so much fun!

Friday Fun!

Happy Friday everyone and welcome the weekend!  I have been in Brisbane this week with Georgiana and we have had a fantastic time ... some work and some play ..... school holidays so it was lovely for the two of us to get together and have some fun .... I achieved a great deal with visiting distributors and it was so fresh and inspirational ! Above is the gorgeous set up at Magnolia  ....always so beautiful to visit!

and then we found this beauty at In House Agencies  .... fabulous .... ordered it immediately!!

 Stunning botanicals!!! Georgiana then informed me that I was 10 minutes over my limit  and that she was hungry!!! So off to tea and sandwiches we go!

This beautiful interior was from Tina's blog at www.theenchantedhome.blogspot.com from a gorgeous home so I thought Georgie and I could have tea here .....

and then we could have this stunning powder room with the Schumacher Imperial Trellis wallpaper ..... perfect for ladies!!!

Enjoy!!

Happy Easter and Happy New Blog!

Happy Easter everyone .... here is Gerogie's bunny accepting goodies from the Easter Bunny ....

we have had a low key Easter as Andrew has been on call but it has been lovely because we have had Dominic home .....

Georgie assessing the situation ....

I just popped some Easter eggs on the Irish Bell

Dominic home ... so lovely ...

I was supposed to cook a turkey for Easter but Georgiana came down with Chicken Pox last week .... isolation for one week! That is after the vaccination too but it was still difficult for her .. the itching was awful ... I became known as Calamine Mum!

so I just wanted so share with you our little Easter ... we went to mass this morning and it was really lovely just singing the songs and feeling grateful for so many things .... 

how gorgeous is this Charbonnel et Walker chocolate Easter Egg .... which brings me to my next exciting piece of news ....

I have just had a fantastic renovation of my blog by Shari at Little Blue Deer .... this is not the big opening as I have something special planned for that and we still have some tweaking to do but welcome to my new blog and Shari has been incredible!  I cannot believe how patient, kind and talented she is ... I seriously have tested her as I knew what I wanted and she interpreted my thoughts and ideas seamlessly .. nothing was too much effort ... I thank her so much!  This is just a little opening but there is more champagne and fun to come ..... Happy Easter everyone!

my best wishes always

Frances

xxxx

"Verandah House Interiors" ~ Judy Elliott ~ Congratulations!

Happy Friday everyone ~ today I am so excited to bring you the beautiful home of interior designer, Judy Elliott of Verandah House Interiors in Brisbane!  Judy is featured in the latest edition of  Home Beautiful April Edition and it is breathtaking.... I have always known Judy's work to be exceptional but this was inspiring!  Her use of colour, pattern and texture on a white background is extraordinary .... when I picked up Home Beautiful looking for some inspiration I found it!  It seriously made my day .. and I felt in awe of such talent ...

Judy's house in Brisbane is shared with her husband, Paul and daughter's, Alexa and Lily... and they have basically done it themselves from the ground up ... a stunning piece of work amidst much adversity ... they tragically lost Paul's 17 year old son, Nathan,  in a car accident which changed their lives forever ....... their courage is an extraordinary tale and I salute them .... 

This is one of my favourites ... drooling right now!  The bold use of Designer's Guild wallpaper is a triumph coupled with the white linen fabric piped in navy ... cool, elegant and sophisticated with a touch of whimsy for the backdrop.  The plaster mantle was added by Judy and I actually used the same mantle in our bedroom as we wanted that extra architectural detailing and it adds such depth to an interior. The use of glass reflects the faux white bamboo coffee table ..  my favourite though is the painted white floor ... gorgeous!

Brave new world indeed .... congratulations!

Judy's gorgeous daughters, Alexa and Lily have fun playing cards in the reading room .... 

Love the use of subway tiles in the kitchen ... classic and timeless ....

The powder blue bamboo dining chairs are a fabulous contrast to the warmth of the antique dining table ..... The Stroheim wallpaper adds an exotic touch to create the mood ... but notice it doesn't overpower .. above picture rail height is all white ... fresh and crisp ..

I just have to show this view of the drawing/lounge room ... this is on Verandah House website ... this shows the faux mantle ....

the blue and white porcelain is so elegant ...

Chanel artwork ... perfect ... love the silver framing on the ice blue walls ..... 

Stunning ... white painted floors ... art deco chandelier and mirror ... freestanding double ended french slipper bath with  traditional hardware .... this could be a bathroom for Coco Chanel herself!

Welcome to Queensland ... this is our lifestyle .... verandahs ... relaxing... casual style ..

I think I will take this chair and settle in for the week-end!  Congratulations to Judy and her lovely family on a stunning home!  Visit Judy and her eldest, daughter, Jess at www.verandahhouseinteriors.com.au

and if you are in Brisbane then you are lucky because Judy and Jess can help you with all of these beautiful pieces .... I am in awe of a great talent!

Happy Weekend!!!!! Now I am off to cuddle my daughter, Georgiana, who is home from camp and busting with stories and of course we have to have Maccas tonight!  Special treat for the intrepid traveller!!!!