Work in progress

First off, I just wanted to say thanks for the supportive messages from my post on Monday (promise, I’ll stop needing supportive words soon… honest). You’ll probably never hear me say this again but it’s been good to get back to work and keep distracted so that we can finally get back to normality. Luckily, the Aussies are fond of public holidays and we have another one coming up on Friday (3-day weeks should be law just by the way). I’m hoping to keep busy with some crafty projects that I have been procrastinating on. I’m also hoping to finally get some order into our spare room-come home office. It’s currently acting as a graveyard for folded washing (that I am too lazy to pack away), beach paraphernalia, receipts and bills. I’m thinking something earthy and organic and dare I say, studious? Here’s my moodboard.

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Perspective

Happy (belated) Easter everyone! Our Easter holidays began with a car accident. Our very first and hopefully our very last. Luckily it looks like injuries to all are mostly minor (we are both fine) but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I have never been so scared in my entire life. So Easter was officially cancelled for us and Jordan and I spent most of the weekend in a haze of shock and worry. If you can take one positive thing from a car accident (and boy that is difficult to do) it’s that every other stupid thing you have ever worried about, suddenly seems utterly trivial. The transition to a new country has been exceptionally hard for us but after some deep reflection, Jordan and I both agreed that we were slowly falling into the category of being those moany ungratefuls. Noisy neighbours, tiring commutes to work, long work days, empty bank accounts – subjects of my recent tirades - all pale in comparison to getting seriously hurt or losing a life. As much as car accidents (as well as life’s other unpredictables) truly suck, sometimes you need a little perspective. A little reminder that actually, your life is pretty sweet. You are lucky, healthy, blessed, alive – go and make the most of it.

Come right in!

I had to smile at all the comments on my Autumn post! It’s very peculiar to be trawling through endless pictures of cherry blossoms and summer dresses whilst we hunker down with stew and fleece blankets (fessing up here, it’s only really dipped to about 18 degrees which is a UK summer. In my defence, we are acclimatised now). However, having grown up in the Southern Hemisphere, I finally feel like all is back to normal. It’s still very very wet in Sydney so I wanted to stick with the cozy theme this week. I managed to find another doozy on NZ House and Garden (how have I lived without this resource?) – another Waikeke Island beauty (owned by NZ interior designer Anna Desbonnets, NZ’s very own version of Martha Stewart apparently). Warm and dark woods, rich jewelled coloured rugs and layers of art and texture make this one of the most inviting homes I have come across in a while. When I first saw it, I thought it screamed: Come right in, make yourself at home. Don’t you think?

Source | NZ House & Garden

It’s in the air

Sydney’s air has a dense watery (almost tropical) texture to it on an almost daily basis. I am yet to feel that icy chill of autumn or winter that I grew so accustomed to in England. Saying this, a change is definitely in the air. I had to dig through the recesses of my wardrobe for something warmer than a t-shirt and have spent most weekend with my face pressed up against the windows, wishing the torrential rain would just do one and let us enjoy our beach home in peace. Saying that, it’s been a fair while since I experienced an autumn and I find myself looking forward to the onset of the chill. You can remind me of this post when, in a few months, I will be deep into my first Aussie winter and no doubt willing summer to hurry up and get here.

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Some new skillz

In my quest for acquiring new skills for a better blog and a better me, I subject my husband to all manor of experiments. Numerous inedible baking disasters, crack of dawn neighbourhood walks and countless trips to the shops. He has been a quiet endurer of all but one – photography. In this, he has been an active pursuer. Any blogger will tell you that at some point you feel the need to refine/acquire some serious photography skills and I was no exception. We bought the SLR, read all the books and took hundreds of bad photos.

Although my camera skills are good, I simply don’t have the patience to be great. Jordan, on the other hand, took to it like a duck to water. He can stand for hours fiddling with the settings, trying different angles, playing with the light. Me? I am all about instant gratification and very often lose my patience when the great shot doesn’t happen in a nanosecond. So here I am, watching my husband kick my ass at photography, hoping he’ll teach me cool stuff along the way. He’s already taught me the value of shooting in RAW and his new favourite toy, Adobe LightRoom. We currently have a monthly subscription for $10 which includes Adobe LightRoom and Photoshop. Here’s some of my favourite of his before and after shots:

All images via Wishful Thinking

Mouth dropping, swoon evoking perfection

It is as it says in the title. I was doing my usual internet snooping, killing a few hours clicking on one link, being taken to another etc until WHAM, I was stopped dead in my tracks by this show stopper. Take a little peak around the beautiful Waiheke Island (NZ) abode of Kate and Barry Hastings. They have thought of everything – little cozy reading nooks, shutters on the verandah (so you can sleep out there on steamy nights), flowing living spaces and oodles of warmth and character. Every single room has something that I desperately covet. Go on, go see for yourself!

Source | NZ House and Garden

Easy like a Sunday morning

We are now pushing our way into what should be a crisp and chilly Autumn. Errrm someone neglected to tell Sydney that because yesterday we baked down at the beach with temperatures hitting 27 degrees. The sun was hot, the water was warm and there wasn’t even a breath of wind in the air. It sure is a far cry from the icy Autumns London used to throw at us. (LOVING it by the way)! But today has seen a change and a hoodie and brolly was required on our walk down to the beach to get our favoured Sunday coffee. We are currently tucked up inside, enjoying Anzac biscuits and movies while a red lentil curry simmers away in my new slow cooker. Man I love Sundays!

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