Island Life Inspiration

I have been browsing through the pages of India Hicks and David Flint Wood's Island Life recently to gather inspiration for my upcoming birthday lunch by the beach.  The images always has me daydreaming about visiting the Caribbean.  Hence these recent vintage purchases have been largely influenced by my tropical musings... palm tree prints and pineapple lamps... and of course the obligatory blue and white ginger jar I couldn't pass up for a steal!  I'm pondering whether to spray paint the pineapple lamps white... thinking, thinking...

Perfect Peacocks

Today I went for a quick wander through New Farm Antique Centre followed by James Street to pick up some coffee.  Peacock chairs ruled the day as everywhere I turned they seemed to be featuring in display windows.  I loved the vintage natural rattan one from the antique centre more than the new white one at Magnolia (sorry for the reflections...) but they are both perfect, the detail is amazing. Last year I came across two vintage matching and very ornate peacock chairs online for a steal and convinced friends to purchase as we have no space and I couldn't bear the thought of never seeing them again if they were sold to someone else!  I have to remember to take a snap next I'm at their place...

Espresso Del Lago

Currently listening to Yeki.  It's a little electronic for a Sunday morning however it does flow well.  Anyway, it's just what I need to get the ideas flowing here at our makeshift home office (our living room).  Pens out, lines to be drawn, a design to emerge.  Now I feel like a coffee...

Tennis & Roses

A lovely friend of mine invited us to catch up with her and her husband over a game of tennis and a glass of Pimm's.  I'm a total novice but we were lucky enough to be able to play at her childhood home's grass court. It rained a little during our game but we managed to avoid getting drenched to finish our doubles game.  Enough said I need a lot more practice!  The beautiful Queenslander style home also has lovely grounds and some beautiful blooms were out in the rose garden.  I couldn't resist taking some snaps of all that colour as well the pretty lavender.

Chinoise Chic

Another image I love from a recent issue of Lonny... am having a serious I heart moment with this shelter e-zine!  Love the drawers with the decorative Chinese handles, the bamboo motif mirror frame, all the books and perfume and the blue and white porcelain of course!  I only wish my dresser was so neat!

Bar Style

I came across this image in Lonny recently and love the style of this casual bar...  kind of vintage industrial using an old laundry trolley.  Love the display of mismatched plates trailing up the wall too...

Australian Writers

One of my favourite ABC TV programs when I manage to catch it is the First Tuesday Book Club.  I've been buying books in transit at airport newsagents and came across David Malouf's Ransom which I remembered from one of the shows.  It is Malouf's take on one of the key events in Homer's Iliad and I found it a fascinating and moving read.  I also loved Alex Miller's Lovesong set in Paris and Melbourne, another purchase at the airport. I've always found Australian writers to have a voice I feel I can relate to so much more for obvious reasons.  On a different tangent is Australian stylist Sibella Court's Etcetera which I purchased on a wander through Mary Ryan's last weekend and love for it's beautiful photographs of interesting tactile interiors... so many books, so little time!

Market Flowers & Penan Baskets

The Powerhouse markets were on yesterday but we only just managed to get there before the stalls started to pack up at midday.  I arrived back from my monthly work stint in Adelaide at midnight on Friday so I slept past my usual up-and-at-it time.  Saturday was a glorious day in Brisbane and after we picked up all the fruit, vegies and flowers we needed I convinced James I needed to quickly dash in to Black + Spiro to check out their annual much anticipated sale.  Obviously 12.30pm was after the fact as the place was almost completely emptied with SOLD stickers on practically everything.  I was happy with my market flowers anyway. The pressed glass goblets in the photo I picked up from a Paddington thrift store last Saturday for a couple of dollars each... my thrifting for the week!

I finally got around to hanging up the Penan rattan baskets Angela gave me from her trip to the jungle villages in Borneo.  They are so very beautifully made, all naturally dyed and hand woven.  I love them too much to use them for anything but display!  The Penan use them for carrying everyday items and for gathering food from the jungle.  We had a look at the possibility of setting up a fair trade scheme to import these baskets for sale in Brisbane but it looks like it's not going to be the simplest thing. I think they would definitely sell very well seeing they are just lovely...

Paris... I miss you!

A good friend of mine is currently spending three months travelling through Europe and sent me this photo yesterday from atop the Centre Pompidou... lucky thing!  I have never been to Paris in the Spring.  This is certainly a much sunnier and greener view than when we were there...

The Sardine Tin

A couple of weeks ago we met up with friends for a quick bite before seeing Herbie Hancock at QPAC. The Sardine Tin is a small tapas and wine bar just a few minutes walk from the theatre.  The food was fantastic and so moreish, too yummy to stop for photographs!  We ordered all the day's specials and a few more, everything came out at lightning speed.  I loved the way they wrote reservations out in chalk on their metal tables.  We're looking forward to going back to try a few more off their tapas menu.

Image source:
http://6lumens.com/blog/2011/01/sardine-tin/

Mirror Mirror

Our task for last weekend was to put up our newly acquired vintage mirror.  After some difficulty we finally managed to get the darn thing up having underestimated how heavy it was.  We discovered a new appreciation for ornate mirrors during our trip to France and decided we would hunt for one to go above James' inherited sideboard.  It arrived from Sydney four weeks ago but it's been so hectic that the mirror remained lying next to our front door all this time... I love the decorative frame, especially the woven motif at the sides... reminds me of a classic Bottega Veneta leather handbag!