The Long weekend

Okay - so the Dockers did not make the finals - but my other team Collingwood did - go the Magpies !!


And what better location to cheer on the footy finals but down south - Eagle Bay to be precise - the house we stay at has ocean views from the deck and in our bedroom we need only prop a pillow and gaze out to the Indian Ocean - life is tough.


We did a little drive around Dunsborough the last time we were down south and spotted this house - we were both taken by the design and did the "wouldn't that be nice".  And what would you know it is now on the market and for a cool $2.25 mil it could be ours - dreaming dreaming dreaming (I am captivated by Dane Richardson homes of which there are a few down south).

(The pics above are via realestate.com.au)

Enjoy the long weekend!!



CK

What a day (s)

We have had the most beautiful of weather since spring started - the days are lovely and sunny - if I could capture the feeling of spring it would be right now - doors all open, sun warming my face, washing fresh on the line - which then has me hankering for being outside and the summer days to come and OMG the garden.

The winterness is still in our garden - weeds to be tamed, garden beds to be updated, and the deck needs to be stained again. We have a small outdoor area - our little bit of lawn and deck - this year we are going to (that is the royal WE - hubby does the hard yards - I provided the vital encouragement) build seating around the deck which will double as storage. We did have a day bed, plumb pillows and many a day spent lazing but alas on day at work and not putting away the cushion and our four legged family member destroyed all remnants of any plump cushions!!

Oh and also on my to do list and if budget permits a pizza oven.

But the warmer weather has come and lifted my spirits.

mywoodfiredpizzaover.blogspot

CK

Mid Week

How did Wednesday get here so quickly - one minute I am posting and it is Friday and I am excited about the weekend and then wham it's Wednesday  -  and I have neglected to post!!!!


(that little but much needed occurrence of work - needed for the sanity but does at times does interfere with other parts of life)


Two more sleeps and we have two weeks of school holidays - I love the holidays -no lunches, we have pj days which are just the best, picnic days, catching up with friends and just hanging out - oh and I get a little more time at home.


These hol's I am wanting to create a little more personality in the boys bedrooms - they have only recently gone into separate rooms  - after 6 years of sharing - Master A (11years) is very very excited- and Mr Little (6years, sorry nearly 7years) is struggling a bit with being on his own -  no only with lonely  bedtimes and no one to talk with but also the fact that he now has to clean up the room by himself!!


So idea for kids rooms -so many choices 

www.ducdcunyc.com

http://www.dufnerheighes.com

CK

Sitting Room Dilemma!!

Thank goodness it is Friday - it has been a busy week  - and I am looking forward to some slow down time!!!


My project this weekend is getting the sitting room organised - it has been akin to a dumping yard for a while, ordered but just does not have the feeling or look that I want.  So tomorrow is clean out day!!  It is a room that needs to function as my study area, sitting room and second TV area.  It is a badly badly designed room (lesson learnt for out next home).


If my budget was not so restrictive I would go to town but this will be an exercise in reuse, reduce and recycle!!


But allow me to indulge in my sitting room fantasy...

Image via design is mine

Image via Decor Detective - James Merrell

Back to reality - school lunches to make, school sports today ...


CK

Wood Cladding

I know that it sounds really daggy but I do hanker after some internal wood cladding!!  Unfortunately our house does not really lend itself to a more modern wood cladding decor - I am talking modern wood cladding.  Like marine plywood cupboards -  left in a raw state and incorporated as part of the home, wenge coloured cupboards that appear as walls, timber clad exterior walls...okay I waffle

Image via Tree Hugger 

Carlton House - Nic Owen Architects

Kivac Architects - Hill Climber House

Via Home Design Ideas

To satisfy my wooden cladding urge I will just have to settle for a Eames plywood chair!!

CK

HOUSE ENVY!!!

OH MY - this is the house - way too cool for school - but check out the pool - this has to be the coolest above ground pool I have ever ever seen!!! (hmm perhaps above ground pool is not a worthy  description) - I have pool and house envy...

The house sits on a block size of 500sqm - what an amazing use of space.  And I love the way the lawn rolls upto the pool edge.

In my next life I shall have Andres Remy as my architect!!!

(The pic's are of the Devoto House which is located in Argentina)

CK

It's the weekend..

Enjoy the weekend!!

 

Some of this

Lisa Adam - LA Closet Design

Plenty of this

CK

Miss Dahl

We are currently obsessed with Miss Dahl's banana bread -  straight from the oven, lather with butter (NOT margarine) this is divine - and great for the kids lunchboxes.

This cookbook is a delight - the pics are beautiful  -the recipes divine.

Available at fishpond.com.au

Ms Dahl's Banana Bread

•        75g butter - make sure it is soft

•        1 egg, beaten

•        170g (1 1/2 cups) flour (I use spelt -best not to use a SR flour)

•        4 ripe banana's mashed up

•        200g soft brown sugar (I like the dark brown sugar)

•        1 tablespoon vanilla extract

•        1 teaspoon bicarb soda/ baking soda

•        pinch salt (pink salt flakes are best)

Preheat oven to 180oC.  Grease a 30cm x 23cm loaf tin.

Pour mashed bananas into mixing bowl.  Mix in butter, sugar, egg  & vanilla extract.  Add bicarb/baking soda, salt and flour and mix.  Pour into prepared tin  - bake for 1 hour.  After one hour take out the bestest, moistest banana bread - eat and enjoy.  (I use a loaf tin as the next day I will toast the bread for breezy)

And the kitchen in which Ms Dahl creates her delights..... well it is not actually her home - but a home that is rented for various productions - but who cares it is beautiful, ahh the the white floors...

CK

The Kids Are All Right - Official Trailer

I am out to the movies tonight with the girls - we catch up once a month for dinner and a movie, or just dinner or just a movie - tonight we are doing both - quick meal and then this movie!!  Looks quite funny - shall let you all know.

CK

What a Rental

I scourer the internet alot looking at well pretty much, alot of stuff.  One of the sites I visit on a regular basis is Realestate.com.au. A real estate site I can view homes for sale and rent in both Australia and New Zealand. I am currently searching for a block so we can build again.


I came across this most amazing home to rent - no price listed- so way way out of my price range but one powerball...

Spot of tennis, dip in the pool, drinks on the terrace!!

Or there is always a the holiday house down south that you can own.. 

CK

Ahh the open air

Today has been the most glorious day - the kids had their sports carnival and the weather could not have been any more perfect.  Which then got me to thinking-  imagine having an outdoor bathroom - showering with the sun or the stars...

via my home ideas

And as I completed my first day of the Couch to 5km (yes I did start today) I extended my thoughts of outdoor showers to having an outdoor bath - not a spa but a plain old bath ...

Image via Spa Goddess Speaks

CK

Shopping At Fishpond

Fishpond   - a book store at the click of the mouse.   I could spend (okay I did) some time browsing various titles, excitment building as I discovered books that I had been hankering over for years - my wish list seemed to magically double at the click of that mouse!!

The down side is that you cannot flick through the book and make a really informed decision about your impulse purchase, but that is also the upside as you eagerly await your books arrival.

So my purchase this week was a double - 

According to  a number of websites Domino promises to become a decor bible - my constant source of guidance, inspiration and excitment!!   (I am aware of the magazine and have only seen various pages online so really looking forward to having the real deal in my possession).

And my second purchase was really a visual decision  - I liked the cover and thanks to Amazon I have able to see the contents of the book - looks good, and the reviews have stated it contains all the information and advice I  need to furnish and decorate our home with "found" objects instead of new items bought in stores.  (Though unfortunately my home found objects never seem to extend to the Panton or Eames pieces of furniture lying about!!)

Okay one of the down sides about ordering on line is that I have to wait  - but Patience is a Virtue and one that I should practice more often than I do.

CK

Shabby Chic

I have never been a girly girl - I own at the most two skirts, one dress, and I could dig deep and find the hair dyer somewhere in the darkest recess of the bathroom cupboard -and as for make-up, well I last purchased that for my wedding some 16 year ago!

But lately I have been hankering after shabby chic design - dashes of pink, frills(of a very tasteful type),French linen sheets, Amy Butler, Cath Kidston, Laura Ashley...  More of a feminine decor at home - after all I am the only female in our home- even the dog is male!!!

Image via Barbourne Farm

Image via eHow

CK